1996 FORD Taurus

We had problems with our heater core and ended up replacing it. We continually have problems with the rear calipars and hae replaced them twice and repaired them once (they seize).We currently have problems with peeling paint on the roof of the car, and window seals that we have not yet fixed; are there any recalls for these problems? A body shop technician told us that it looks as though the car has already been repainted once; we are not the original owner of the car.

We bought our Taurus used with 24K miles. It was a great car until now with less than 150000 miles the AX4S Transmission needs to be rebuilt at a cost of $1900 excluding tax and labor cost. If FORD knew the AX4 were bad transmission then they should eat the cost of rebuiling the transmissions. I just bought a new vehicle and it is a Chevy.

Vehicle suddenly accelerated and could not be stopped. After several city blocks and speed in excess of 80mph hit another car then several other objects before coming to halt. Police examined car and throttle was clear to floor. Two eye witnesses reported conditions that would indicate driver was applying brake. Injuries to driver would indicate foot was on brake at time of impact.

Transmission started to crap out

Transmission rebuild x2 is in 2001 and also in 2004. Have owned the car since new with no other problems.

transmission has delayed down shifts sometimes. also a neutral feeling on down shift from 3rd to 2nd.

Transmission failure as you described in your February 2001 article on ANOD E transmissions. The car has 97k miles on it and I believe the used car dealer knew it had problems when he sold it to me but I didn’t have the knowledge concerning the car until I visited this website. I believe I will use the lemon aid car book in trying to get either Ford or the dealer to deliver. The dealer was called Fleet Depot in Bridgeville, Pa I am going to the closest dealer Kenny Ross and hope I may get something resolved. Sincerley, Paul K. Little

transmission failed upon several attempts to go into drive from reverse. this car has been well maintained.

This car continually stalls out , the battery light comes on, the engine repair light comes on, the underneath suspension squeeks and groans, the brakes squeak, the wheel doesn’t turn when the car stalls out. It has happened numerous times when i am turning a corner, the car stalls out and the wheel will not turn. Now the computor systems are not working the air conditioning. I have to restart the car to get the radio and the air conditioning to start up. These things happen but no one can find a problem.

The transmition just quit without warning so we had to park the car we can\’t afford to fix it, we heard that ford mayhave a secret recal and will possibly fix it. We have learned that this is a very common problem that every one but the ford dealer knows about.

THE OIL PUMP FAILED CAUSING ENGINE LOCK -UP

The left front coil spring severed (broke) without any warning while the car was sitting in our driveway and punctured the inner side wall of the tire, causing it to blow out. We called ford and asked for some assistance. Ford refused any assistance. This is not a new problem for Taurus. Ford had a campaign for both the Taurus and Sable.I am aware of three other cars this happened to who work in the same facility where I work. My confirmation number with Ford is 0578160980. Note: some cars were equipped with a modification by ford whereby a shield is added to prevent a spring failure from causing the tire to blow out. Ford\’s position is totally unacceptable. One car had both springs fail just minutes apart. How many other reports have you received on this problem? I have also asked the dealer (drum hill ford) Lowell, MA, to arrange a meeting with a district manager (Ford Motor Company). Can you offer any help? Thank you.

The car engine overheated. We took it to a mechanic and he confirmed that we needed to replace the engine. He said the heads were warped and that the A/C compressor had also blew.

the car at about a year old, we was told the induction sytem was clogged, been a okay car until the water outlet bypass line the metal part broke which tells temperature of car, so when it broke I wasn\’t gettin a temperature reading and ruined my engine. The car is setting at moment untill i decide what do with it, thanks

Sudden transmission failure; internal parts breakdown causing case cracking and leakage.

See failures

See failures

On Aug. 4, 2003, I noticed my car was shifting into neutral on a stop. On Aug. 5, 2003, my car was shifting into neutral on a stop, and hesitating before slamming into first upon acceleration. On Aug. 6, 2003, my car stopped shifting back into first when it neutralized at a stop. It had to be manually shifted to park, and back into drive. If I turned off the overdrive, which is automatically engaged on this car, she drove like new, but if I forgot to manually disengage my overdrive, my car very loudly reminded me to shut it off.

my unibody broke from the frame and is non fixable

Main rear engine oil seal is leaking, and the seals within the transmission related to the torque convertor are leaking internally.

In may 03 ford said trans. was just wore out. Had rebuilt by AAMCO and then at the end of july trans. had no park, was just like in nutral. On the way to AAMCO trans. fell apart. AAMCO tryed to say we did something wrong, but decided that we couldn’t have so are in the process of trying to find a new case for are AX4N trans. now. It has been over two weeks now and still can not find a case. Hope they find soon so can get car back and get rid of it, NEVER to own another Ford. This car has had continual small but still problems never the less sence we purchased it. Have been a Ford lover all my life and am kind of sad to say I will never own another ford.

I had tranmission fluid flushed at the recommended service intervals and then the tranmission started acting really funny. Shifting hard and bad gas mileage soon there after. I took it back to the ford dealer and asked them if there was anything they could do and they said they could replace it for $3200.00 plus tax

I bought this car and the trans failed me, to get it repaired would cost more than its worth.

Headlights would only work some of the time. Dealer replaced defective headlight switch.The engine developed a high pitched squeal, almost like a belt squeal. It was determined the cam synchronizer was defective. At that time the cam position sensor was also found to be defective. The magnet was falling out.The Coolant Overflow bottle was Discolored, Leaking and full of Cracks causing antifreeze to pour out of the cooling system.Ford acknowledges there is a bank to bank coolant flow imbalance on some 1996 model year Taurus leading to contaminated/corroded coolant. Recall 98B23 was performed. But the damage was already done to the rest of the cooling system.

HEAD GASKET LEAKS. DRIVING ON MOUNTAIN PARKWAY IN KENTUCKY WHEN CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING. DID NOT STALL BUT WOULD ONLY DRIVE LESS THAN 10MPH. CAR PUT ON CAR CARRIER AND TOWED TO HOUSE. MECHANIC CHANGED PLUGS & WIRES, FUEL FILTER, IGNITION COIL. FOUND LEAK OF HEAD GASKET.STRUT ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD RUSTED OFF THE BALL AND JOINT.

Having a problem replacing radiator. Can you email some info on radiator replacement, the Ford manual give very little info on this make. Thanks very much, Dawn

Engine died on I-15 in Las Vegas at Noon on December 1, 2002. Initial analysis of problem by Pep Boys Tires and Service at 3490 Sunset Road, Las Vegas: Failed head gasket and engine head block. Car being taken to engine shop for further analysis.

ENG SIZE 3.0 TRANSMISSION TYPE AX4S OR AXODE , TRANSMISSION JUST STOP PULLING FORWARD, HAD CAR SINCE OCT. 1998 BOUGHT USED ALWAY HAD PROBLEM WITH JERKING WHEN CHANGING TO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR FROM DAY ONE WHEN I BOUGHT CAR . TOLD THE DEALER ABOUT THE JERKING WHEN CHANGING GEAR HE SAID THE THE WAY THE CAR WAS MADE. CAR IS IN SHOP NOW FOR TRANSMISSION WORK. THEY SAID IT MUST BE THE COMPUTER , COULDNT FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I THINK A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE ON 1996 TAURUS . I AM TIRED OF SPENDING MONEY ON THIS CAR. I KNOW FORD KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.

ball joint,tie rod,transmission,etc

Transmission disengages when coming to a stop. After first repair at 135000 km it’s broken again at 150000 km. Symptoms: disengages when coming to a stop.

I am only reporting the steering wheel which had a tube that was cracked and the car lost all ability to switch gears. I have rarely recieved any recall notices for this car and wnated to check since I have had numerous problems all of which I have paid for. For the first thre-5 years I took it to a ford dealer who should have known if parts were covered under a recall. Engine had to be totally replaced at 36,000 miles in Stillwater, OK. I would like a list of recalls on this car–the ford taurus station wagon. I have had problems with tire wear on inside, rod arms and pulling, all which dealer said was due to my driving.

1996 ford taurus. consumer states problem with the park pawl *tgw the consumer stated when she put the gear in park, the park pawl did not engage, which cause the vehicle to roll. the consumer spoke with her mechanic and he informed her a recall had been issued in 1996 for certain vehicles. the consumer went to the dealer to have the problem addressed. while the dealer did acknowledge the recall and the consumers vehicle was equipped with ax4n automatic transaxles, she was advised her vehicle was not included in the recall. *jb

1996 ford taurus problems with back gate replacement panels. consumer states that she cannot lock the door with a key it must be locked by hand she believes there should be a recall for this electrical problem. problems with the door ajar/relay. *kb the repair shop stated there was no power to the ground motor and the suspected problem was more with the electrical system. the rear tailgate would not open. *jb

Spare tire exploded while in side compartment. *ts two years ago the spare tire exploded. the consumer replaced it with a used spare because he was unable to locate a new spare. the used spare was placed in the spare tire compartment where it later blewout. the consumer has the tire in his possession. *nm

When driving at any speed brake light appeared on the dashboard. consumer took vehicle to the dealership, and the problem recurred. *ak

Consumer states the rear axle inside dualtire deflated due to the valve stem rupturing. the vehicle was at the dealer being serviced. the consumer also states the problem is due to the wrong size valve stem on the tire for the vehicle's weight capcity and tire proessure. the make, model and year has been recalled (01-v-046-000 manfanturer id#01s05). the dealer is aware. plkase provide more information.

The air bag indicator light flashes on and off and sometimes it stays on.*ak

Air bag light stays on. nlm

When driving at any speed brake light appeared on the dashboard. consumer took vehicle to the dealership, and the problem recurred. *ak

Climate control system defective, causing an obnoxious mildew order in the car compartment.

The air bag "readiness light" flashed for approximately two minutes and stays on until the engine is turned off. four repair attempts have been made.

Vehicle recall notice sent, vehicle has experienced rattle and creaking since new.

Power steering noise.

Power steering failed.

Difficulty obtaining proper tools to perform transaxle recall repair..

Right wiper arm slipped on its shaft, left wiper traveled over it and the two became locked together.

Car hesitated or stalled completely when making a left turn from a standing position, can not locate the problem.

Vehicle hesitated or stalled completely when making a left turn from a standing position -- since new.

Front windshield noisy/resealed top windshield. *ak

Accelerator stuck, causing vehicle to surge. *ak

Transmission slips.

Brakes failed.

Grinding noise in steering column when making a sharp right turn. *ak

Wind noise through front passenger window.

Head lamp switch worked intermitantly.

Rear passenger door were misaligned.

Third brake light was out.

Transmission jumps gears.

Hood misaligned.

Front end noise.

Transmission shifts dangerously, causing vehicle to stall. *ak

Rattle in front end when turning right.

Engine fire. (ohio state police report) *dsh

Recall #96s51, dealer having a hard time getting the part.

Vehicle bottoms out when hitting bumps, also rear tire blewout. *ak

Grinding noise in steering column when turning right. *dh

Windshield reflects top of dashboard, interfering with drivers vision.

Brakes make groaning noise upon releasing brake pedal. *sd

Cruise control not designed to slow vehicle down on down slopes. *dsh

Vehicle continues to move with ignition off and transmission in park.

Air conditioner does not function properly/makes buzzing noise.

Heater does not function properly/makes buzzing noise.

Vehicle makes grinding noise when accelerating.

Car bounces slightly when accelerating. *dsh

Trunk latch fails to keep trunk closed.

Front dash panel lifts up.

Vehicle pushed by wind velocity of other vehicles, causing poor stability. *sd

Drivers seat too hard and too low, causing discomfort to driver. *sd

Cruise control problem, causes vehicle's speed to increase upon traveling downhill. *sd

Driver's side power windows failed prior to recall/difficulty obtaining replacement parts.

Transmision failed causing vehicle to stall.

Hydraulic brakes locked up on four different occasions, causing two accidents

Brake fluid level indicator switch replaced.

I recently brought the car for 4,00 and some change a bout a year ago two days after i brought it the check engine light came on and every now and then while driving it would cut off i took the car back to the place i brought it from and told them they told me to bring it back in i would have to leave it so i got some one to follow me and take me back home when i went to pick up the car it was running but by the time i got home the check engine light was back on. then the defrost didn't work i took it back to them. that's when the air condictioner stop working i just quit complain the car ran pretty smooth although the check engine light stayed on . i went to start my car one night and it wouldn't start so i went and brought so heet i thoght because it was cold out side it is winter i begin hear a hiss llike some air is excaping from somewhere under the hood but yo hear it inside the car like a lot of static. it time for me to get a tuneup now the car really runs sluggish and turns off more often and you can't turn the wheels so that is spooky i had the check light checked out and they said it was my lean sensor too much air is getting into the gasoline and that has something to do with the catalyic converter

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford taurus. the contact stated that while driving at 15 mph, there was a loud noise coming from the front passenger side of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the motor carriage had corroded and stated that the vehicle needed a new under frame. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 113,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1996 ford taurus. the contact stated while driving approximately 1 mph, the vehicle accelerated violently and crashed into a pole without any warning. the contact sustained chest and head injuries and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. updated 3/13/13 *cn updated 03/19/13 updated 03/20/13*lj the consumer stated the brakes didn't work, and she hit several curbs and two tires burst on the passenger side. she hit a lamp post and some shrubs, as well as an atm machine. updated 04/10/13

Tl* the contact owns a 1996 ford taurus. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the vehicle was involved in a crash and the seat belt failed to retract. the contact, who was seating in the front passenger seat, hit her head on the windshield. the vehicle was destroyed. the failure and current mileage was 70,890.

The motor cradle in my mother-in-law's 1996 taurus rusted through and broke as she was making a turn. this caused the motor to partially drop making steering almost impossible. i did some research and found that there was a recall for this problem for the 1995 taurus in dec. of 1998. my question is if this problem was not discovered until 1998 then why would the 1996 taurus not be included in this recall? i would like to see credible documentation that ford substantially fixed a problem with the motor cradles in the 1996 taurus two years before they knew there was a problem prompting the 1998 recall. short of that, i would like nhtsa to explain why this problem should not be fixed by ford. *tr

My son was driving the vehicle when the brakes completely failed. brake lines to the rear of the car ruptured and drained system of brake fluid and car had no brakes at all. it rolled into an intersection and thankfully he wasn't hurt. apparently this is fairly common with older cars. both lines being replaced. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1996 ford taurus. the contact stated that water was leaking into the passenger side floorboard from an unknown entry source. the dealer advised the contact that due to the age of the vehicle, the failure was common. the dealer advised having the molding and sealant for the windshield replaced. the manufacturer took a complaint on the contacts behalf and offered no further assistance since there were no related recalls for the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the current mileage was 78,456 and the failure mileage was 78,426.

Tl* the contact owns a 1996 ford taurus. the contact was driving approximately 30 mph when the vehicle was involved in a crash. during the crash all of the air bags deployed but during deployment, the passenger side air bag detached from the dashboard. a police report was filed but no injuries were reported. the vehicle was towed to a parking lot where the failure was not diagnosed. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 150,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1996 ford taurus. the contact stated that the vehicle exhibited an abnormal clunking noise. he then discovered that the rear passenger axle was corroded, similar to the failure listed under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v385000 (suspension:rear:axle:non-powered axle assembly). the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic who informed the contact that the engine, transmission, front seats, steering control arms, dashboard, and transaxle would need to be removed in order to make repairs to the sub frame. the contact did not inform the manufacturer of the failure nor was the vehicle repaired. the vin was unavailable. the current mileage was approximately 202,000 and the failure mileage was approximately 195,000.

My 1996 ford taurus gl stalled due to a failed camshaft synchronizer that broke. it only has 106,500 miles on it. i understand the 1997's have a recall - why aren't the 1996 taurus included ?? these should be part of the recall. *tr

1996 ford taurus, driver felt vehicle shake, pulled to the right berm and right tire fell off the vehicle. *bf according to the police report, there were five broken tire spokes along with a scraped brake rotor from contact with the roadway. (ohio traffic crash report # 10-0385-91) *jb updated 09/13/10*bf

1996 ford taurus. consumer states problem with the park pawl *tgw the consumer stated when she put the gear in park, the park pawl did not engage, which cause the vehicle to roll. the consumer spoke with her mechanic and he informed her a recall had been issued in 1996 for certain vehicles. the consumer went to the dealer to have the problem addressed. while the dealer did acknowledge the recall and the consumers vehicle was equipped with ax4n automatic transaxles, she was advised her vehicle was not included in the recall. *jb

On my 1996 ford taurus the subframe is completely rusted out. with only 90,000 miles and stored inside i have never seen a frame rusted out this bad. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford taurus. while the contact was driving approximately 60 mph the engine shut off without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the technician stated that water leaked onto the front passenger side floor area. the water was coming from the front windshield and the engine. the failure occurred during rainy weather conditions. the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure continued to occur. the contact stated that the manufacturer should be responsible for the repair cost. the failure mileage was 138,000.

The frame is cracked. *tr

The rear springs of my 1996 ford taurus gl have both broken through normal driving conditions. *tr

Douglas tire on 1996 ford taurus "came apart" on i-10, no apparent puncture or other signs of hitting an object on the highway. *tr

1996 ford taurus gl, 147,000 miles. while trying to move the car the front left coil spring broke, puncturing the tire. fortunately this was low speed, no one harmed. requires new spring and tire at a minimum. *tr

Brake line failure. lost brakes in parking lot. brake line rotted through. repaired by local mechanic who stated this is a common problem on ford cars. if this doesn't require a recall and repair i don't know what does. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford taurus. the contact stated that the vehicle would not start. it cranks, but the ignition does not turn over until she depresses the accelerator pedal. the vehicle would stall at least ten to twelve times before it would start. she took the vehicle to a mechanic and was informed that the fuel injectors and brake switch interlock were the causes of the failure. the vehicle is also stuck in park and will not move. in order to start the vehicle, she has to turn the ignition off and shift into neutral. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 120,000. updated 05/05/09. *lj

Coolant system failure of all types all part prone to extreme chemical corrosion very aggravating problem and now the coolant bypass hose has failed with the same corrosive symptoms as the other components. *tr

96' ford taurus has a leak in the passenger seat, this leak causes either a short in the blower motor or the blower motor resistor. blower motor works sometimes or doesn't, usually after it rains and the corresponding leak causes a short. this is very dangerous up north when the defrosting of the windshield is a necessity. *tr

I have a 96 ford taurus that has a broken front spring (and i obviously didn't know about it) and it caused my tire to blow on the highway. i almost caused a severe accident that would have involved a tractor trailer, and almost surely my death. *tr

The transmission partially shifts between first and second gears intermittently. this has been happening for a couple months and is increasing in occurrence. *tr

The uniroyal temporary spare tire developed tread separation while just sitting in its compartment. *tr

Bought my 1996 taurus in jan 1999 from a dealer. never received a recall notice for the engine & cooling system that was issued in 1999. i had to replace radiator, water pump, thermostat,hoses (whole cooling system) due to rust an sludge in system. recently while driving 45 mph for 12 miles engine overheated and cracked head. the thermostat never registered hot only noticed the over heating when the steam was billowing out, it was to late then as engine died. off & on the thermostat would fluctuate anywhere from cold to up to 95 % hot and the engine temp would not be hot. due to the problem i am now without a family car and cannot afford to fix this problem with a new engine or buy a new vehicle. is ford doing anything about this problem as i have read alot of people have experienced this same problem? i know my warranty has long expired but what about a manufacturing problem and getting help with it? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford taurus. the contact has experienced minor shifting failure. the vehicle would not properly shift into park. occasionally, when the vehicle was started, it failed to move. when the vehicle is placed into park and the contact's foot is removed from the brake pedal, the vehicle begins to roll backwards. in addition, the vehicle shifts out of first gear very hard, and the engine revs up to 3,000 rpms. a transmission flush was performed, which stopped the failure. nhtsa campaign id numbers 96v086000 and 96v166000 (powertrain:automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl)) were referenced. the current and failure mileages were 113,000.

1996 ford taurus problems with back gate replacement panels. consumer states that she cannot lock the door with a key it must be locked by hand she believes there should be a recall for this electrical problem. problems with the door ajar/relay. *kb the repair shop stated there was no power to the ground motor and the suspected problem was more with the electrical system. the rear tailgate would not open. *jb

My transmission went out while i was going to work out of town. causing me to have to replace it and call a tow truck. i missed a day of work . had to rent a car. i hit a ditch and had 2 flats on the right side. *tr

Parking shifter hitting the brake line coming from master cylinder...notice brake light coming on and kept putting fluid in it but then got under car and noticed fluid leaking all over lines....have no brakes now... *tr

Defective valve stem on yoko avid trz-item # yh03720655t bought at merchant's tire. the valve stem cracked at the base causing the tire to go flat. the tire bead was ruined by the time i pulled over. *tr

My wife was driving the car home from work, when her tire exploded. she called crying and very shook up. when i arrived the front right side of the car was on the ground. apparently the coil spring shot off the strut assy and punctured the inner side wall of the tire. fortunately she wasn't driving too fast and was able to keep control of the vehicle. this could have been a fatal incident! upon looking on the internet for information about this situation, i learned that this is a major problem with ford taurus and there was a recall for only newer models of the same vehicle. why is the same problem only recalled with only certain year of makes???? we didn't even know that this could've happened. i even checked for recalls for this car online. if i was informed of this recall, then i would've taken the car to the mechanic to put guards on the coil springs with my own money, because a life is way more important than money or a product. please realize that this could've been very very bad and could happened to anyone. *tr

Brakes failed gradually fast..lost pressure in pedal....during snow storm...with kids in car...brakes go all the way to the floor...no service check engine light , or brake light illuminates at all!!! barely got home that night,told not to drive it ,now were snowed in so no one has had a chance to see why this is ... *tr

On 6/13/2006 i purchased a set of four new p205-65r-15 wynstar tires from a local tire store and had them installed. in less than 3 months, the right rear tire blew out with less than 3000 miles on it. the vehicle was traveling at 35-40 mph, in the rain. the temperature was in the upper 50's f. i put the spare on and returned the tire to the retailer on 9/5/06 for warranty. the tire was replaced with a new one of the same brand. on 5-23-2007 the right rear tire went flat again, brought it back to the retailer for repair, they tried to patch it, but it did not work, so they put a tube in it. a tube should not be necessary in a new tire. it is compensating for some type of manufacturing defect. now on 7-5-2007, another tire is flat, there is obviously something wrong with these tires. i have owned this vehicle for several years, the previous tires were 5 years old, with 70,000 miles and never were off of the rim for repair. i have another vehicle that is driven to the same places as this vehicle, (different brand of tires) and it does not experience any tire failures. both vehicles are parked in the same driveway. the retailer is of no help, he says there is nothing wrong with these tires. the facts seem to tell a different story. *ak

The 1996 taurus that i drive had a thud/clanking noise under the floor boards on the right side. replaced brakes, and while the car was jacked up i found extreme rust through on the passenger's rear on the subframe carriage and carriage bolt. this car was no longer being driven. this vehicle only has 115,000 miles on it. this should not be rotted out. the dealer informed me that any repairs we not covered by any warranty or recall, and that they have letters from ford about this problem. this was only covered through the 1995 model year.*ak

When in gear my 1996 taurus's power windows and radio will not operate. they will operate in neutral or park. when in gear the seat belt light flashes on. the steering becomes tight when this happens, almost as if there is no power steering. when the ignition module died, the other problems stopped for the most part. i notice other similar complaints.

My 96 ford taurus gl has the following electrical problems, radio goes out, seat belt light flashes and clicks, intermittent wipers fail, power windows fail, finally power steering locks up,and when running for a while transmission would slip, causing safety concerns. if put in park everything goes back working as normal. took to shop and they say it's the transmission range sensor and that several 96 taurus' they have worked on have had the same problem....i am wondering why this has not been a recall part if that is the case...something is definitely wrong! *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle slipped out of park and almost rolled backwards into a ditch. the vehicle hit a culvert causing damage to the suspension. the driver and infant passenger were not injured. the manufacturer determined the vehicle was not included in nhtsa recall #96v176000 regarding the power train:automatic transmission, due to the vin.

1996 ford taurus sitting in the church parking lot and the air bags deployed. no one was in the car except our small dog. considerable damage to the car including broken windshield. ford motor company tells me that they have no liability. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 55 mph on normal road conditions, a clicking noise was heard coming from the front end,and also had steering difficulties. no warning lights were illuminated. the contact took the vehicle to the nearest auto repair shop where a certified mechanic determined the two front coil springs fractured. the dealership was contacted, and informed there was no recall for the vehicle. the manufacturer was also contacted, and coincided with the dealership information. the contact was very concerned because the mechanic informed about incidents where the tire was punctured by the fractured coil and the vehicle lost control of the steering. updated 1/19/2007 - *nm

Dt*: the contact stated losing control of the vehicle and hitting a guard rail while traveling 45 mph. the vehicle sustained minor paint damage. after being driven to the contact's residence, the contact repaired the vehicle and replaced a stabilizer bar.

About 30 seconds after the car had been parked and the engine turned off, the front left tire exploded. the tire had a damaged area on the inside sidewall. the damaged area was approximately 5 inches long and was centered on the sidewall in a circumferential orientation. the tire was replaced at the dealer where it had been purchased. *nm

I have a 1996 taurus gl. the car leaks oil, and then it leaked transmission fluid from the pan. the main problem with this car is the oil leak. i spent 500 to get it fixed and the darn thing stopped leaking and now it leaks again. i have a friend that has a 1997 and her car leaks also. why did ford make a product that leaks like a siv. *nm

I currently own a 1996 ford taurus. by a fluke, i was recently notified by a mechanic that the sub-frame on the passenger side was corroded beyond repair. i was also told that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. there is no other rust on the vehicle, which would indicate a manufacturers defect. i have contacted ford customer service and they are unwilling to deal with the problem even though i have checked the internet and found several examples of the same problem. this is a huge safety issue. this is the main support, which holds up the engine and transmission. if it were to suddenly drop, steering would become impossible. i have to believe that there are many people out there driving with this same problem and do not realize it, just as i didn't. i am asking that you check into this further and to protect our citizens. thank you, james mehring. *nm

Would not go to fourth gear while exchanging lanes was hit in the rear. *jb

Front driver side coil unexpectedly snapped while at a stop sign and punctured tire. driver was able to roll into a near lot. *jb

Spare tire exploded while in side compartment. *ts two years ago the spare tire exploded. the consumer replaced it with a used spare because he was unable to locate a new spare. the used spare was placed in the spare tire compartment where it later blewout. the consumer has the tire in his possession. *nm

I backed my 1996 ford taurus out of the garage after a couple of weeks sitting and the right front spring broke and punctured the right tire. there was no sagging of the car or warning that the spring was about to break. i towed the car to the dealer and both front springs were fixed. *nm

1996 ford taurus lx brake lines have developed a rust problem.***no answer required***. *mr the consumer stated nearly every part of the brake line that was not rubber coated had rusted through. *jb

Airbag warning light came on for 2 days. went out before scheduled service at dealer. no diagnostic code was returned. dealer advised to return car immediately if light went on again. approximately a week later light went on again, car was returned to dealer with light on and an "unknown code" was returned by diagnostic unit. approx 3 weeks later, without warning, passenger side front airbag deployed spontaneously. car filled with powder making visibility impossible, and the force of the airbag deployment shattered and pushed out the passenger side of the windshield, scattering shards of glass all over the front seat. *jb

I purchased a 1996 ford tarus that had sat for a year. upon backing it out of the driveway the front spring broke. the car dropped down onto the tire slashing it open immediately. then i inspected the other springs only to find that another spring had a break in it also. the springs were not rusty and the car had not been abused. *jb

The internet says my 1996 taurus has been recalled for a park pawl problem.the nhtsa says that 400,000 1996 taurus cars are effected.my car won't stay in park,so i called 2 local ford dealerships and they gave the runaround stating that my particular car has not been recalled.please advise.my vin# is 1falp 52u8t a1018 63 i want ford to authorize this repair.thank you. stephen blank 407 hamilton ave. linwood,n.j. 08221-1516 609 926-9277

When i bought this car it had a spare tire on it, which had a hole in it that i was not informed of. the electrical things inside the car do not work, such as the windows, a/c and radio buttons. the a/c and radio cut on and off by themselves. the windsheid wipers are somehow connected to the starter so everytime i start the car thw wipers come on and stay on for about 10 seconds. also, i had the car diagnosed by a mechanic and he says that this car has been sitting under water.

Consumer states: the latch on passenger's side of the front seat will not latch when shutting the door.*ak

Dt: the consumer's vehicle rolled while parked. the consumer indicated there was a recall on the vehicle and contacted the manufacturer. the manufacturer informed her that her vehicle was made one month to early and that her vehicle could not be repaired under the recall. the recall was for a park pin which was not installed properly. the consumer indicated that the vehicle sometimes rolled while parked on level ground, but mostly rolled while on hills. the emergency brake had to be applied to ensure that the vehicle would not move. the consumer had to start the vehicle in neutral because of this problem. the consumer is afraid that she may forget to put the emergency brake on and leave her vehicle. she actually has had to chase after the vehicle to keep it from hitting other vehicles. no prior warning to the failure. the consumer indicated that the vehicle stopped going into park suddenly and she'd have to take it in and out of gears. *nm

On my 1996 ford taurus - right front coil spring broke and caused broken spring to go into rf tire causing massive tire damage to sidewall. failure was at low speed so no accident occurred. new coil spring and new tire were purchased & installed. i've read that tauruses of other years have been recalled for this important issue but not for the 1996 taurus. mechanic told me these front coil springs should not brake and a mechanic friend informed me of this nhtsa web site. ford needs to recall for this important safety failure and reimburse those who have paid for prior repairs. thanks.*ak

1996 ford taurus purchased by my family in november/december 1996 from hewlett-packard fleet vehicles. we've had intermittent problems with the parking gear (car rolls when in park) since we got the car. i found that there had been 3 "parking pawl" recalls on the ford taurus in 1996--all occurring prior to our purchase of the car. now, ford is telling me that the recalls don't apply to my vehicle. seems suspicious since i am experiencing the very problem that was described in the 3 automatic transmission recalls listed at the nhtsa web site. what are my options?*ak

I noticed a clicking in front end when turning,stopping and accelerating wich very quickly graduated to a loud popping sound.after taking it in to the garage they found that the half shaft and tie rod were damaged on front passenger side.after replacing the parts it was still popping.they put it on a hoist and realized that the frame was completely rotted away at the front passenger side of vehicle.this was imediately declared to be the cause of the damage to the half shaft and tie rod.after taking it to another mechanic to repair the damage to the frame, he noticed that the floor was near completely rotted out as well.i have a friend that has the same car (model and year) and he is having the exact same problems with his car.*ak

While driving front passenger coil spring punctured the tire. consumer managed to pull over, and had the vehicle towed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

Progressive system failures; initally raido goes out, seat belt light flashes and clicks, intermittent wipers fail. finally power steering locks up, causing safety concerns. if put in park electrical systems resume operation. transmission range sensor replaced, automotive shop has seen 3 other '96 taurus' with same issue.*ak

(1)throttle went completely to floor and auto could not be stopped (2)auto accident salem police report #03-19963 near fatal injuries (3)no repair done. *nm

While driving at 20 mph front coil spring ruptured, puncturing the tire. manufacturer offered no assistance.*ak

Recall campaign ; a fractured front coil spring caused the front tire to blowout. there was a recall issued for the 1999-2000 models only. *sc *jb

Recently i've noticed numerous electrical problems. first i noticed my check engine light would come on and stay on. i had the car serviced but the light came back on. i had it checked out and it was said to have been a problem with an oxygen sensor (bank 1). it was reset, but the light came back on. i had it checked out again, and this time the codes said there was a problem with two(2) oxygen sensors(bank 1 & bank 2), but the egr check came up incomplete. then the panel light instructing me that a door was ajar started coming on, but all doors were shut. then it would go off all of a sudden. now the light comes on and stays on, and all of the doors are shut. *jb

I've noticed numerous problems since i first bought my taurus. first i noticed a rattle/vibration in the front suspension. i also noticed a click whenever i turned my wheel hard either way. *jb

While stopped in a line of traffic, my 96 ford taurus began to accelerate to appr. 40-50 m.p.h i left rubber, thankfully i did have my foot on the brake which helped to some degree. about three weeks earlier something similar had happened but at far less a speed appr. 5 mph. *ak

Transmission has failed. started by not shifting into overdrive. then as i was driving down the road it completely went out leaving me coasting into a parking lot. there was no signs or warning lights to indicate a problem. it only has 72,000 miles on it.*ak

Firestone ft70c tire. p205/65r15 dot#el9ldab389. this tire had complete tread separation. consumer was driving on freeway about 75 mph and felt vibration. when tread separated it came apart, and the rubber that separated from the tire damaged the sideview mirror.*ak

Consumer stated headlight lenses produced a thick film. as a result, the of the visibility of the driver becomes impaired. dealer stated that it was normal procedure. *ak head light lens are no longer clear. *tc

While driving, the engine light illuminated. the consumer heard a knocking noise coming from the transmission. *ak the consumer stated the transmission and engine was in the process of failing. *jb

When the consumer applied the brakes, the pedal went to the floor. the consumer collided with another driver. both frontal air bags did deploy, but the air bags deployed in the upright position and hit the windshield and caused the windshield to shatter. the vehicle was towed and totaled by the insurance company. please fill in additional information. *jb

While driving 45 mph vehicle stalled. vehicle was taken to dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the fuel pump and fuse needed to be replaced, and replaced it. however, the problem recurred, and mechanic could not duplicate the problem. *ak

Steering wheel and automobile wobbles when applying brakes. *ak

While driving at 30 mph,consumer heard a loud noise coming from wheel on passenger's side, and suddenly consumer lost control of vehicle. consumer drove immediately to the shoulders. consumer went underneath of the vehicle and saw that coil spring on the passenger's side broke. *ak

While driving out of a tow booth vehicle suddenly accelerated and lurched at high speed. consumer was able to gain control, and pulled the vehicle over. dealer was notified, but was unable to find the cause of the problem. *ak

Vehicle tires were dry rotted.*mr the tires only had 30000 miles on them. the consumer replaced the tires. *jb the consumer had new struts installed along with having the tires rotated. the technician informed the consumer that the tires were dry rotted. *sc *jb

The scratches on the front headlight lens were causing a distraction to the consumer's view. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

While applying the brake pedal vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly accelerated and took off. vehicle was forced onto a curb, and flattened the right front tire before the engine cut off . no injury was reported. *ak the consumer stated that she suffered back problems due to the accident. *tc

The consumer stated the vehicle cut off when she made a stop. she also stated that sometimes the vehicle was hard to re-start. the vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions and was told that eventually the fuel injectors would have to be replaced. *jb

While driving in rainy conditions battery indicator light flashed on, and steering wheel locked in place. consumer would have to apply brakes to come to a stop, and sit for a few seconds without any indication that steering wheel would unlock. *ak this problem occurs most times when it rains and the vehicle goes through water. *nm

While reversing consumer found a piece of the broken coil spring on the ground of the garage. the driver side coil spring broke and the coil punctured the front driver side tire. recall 04v332000 was issued but this vehicle was not involved in the recall due to vin. *ak *nm

When driving at any speed brake light appeared on the dashboard. consumer took vehicle to the dealership, and the problem recurred. *ak

While driving consumer heard aloud noise coming from the vehicle. consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, and mechanic determined that the upper ball joints failed. *ak

I bought a used 1996 ford taurus from a local ford dealer, brockport ford, in 1998. while driving the car in july of 2000, the temperature gauge indicated a high temperature. i pulled over to find the car leaking coolant. i took the car to vision ford and they replaced the engine's freeze plugs as a cost of $452. recently i had the identical problem, only this time it the repairs cost me $907. i questioned two failures of this type on a relatively new car and located numerous websites devoted to this same problem in 1996 ford taurus vehicles. this problem is widespread. i have also replaced numerous thermostats and now my heater core is going. this is all due to a manufacturing/ engineering defect, which causes the antifreeze to turn acidic and attack the engine parts. there was a "customer satisfaction warranty extension" issued by ford for this known manufacturing defect, but it expired in august of 1999. as this is a manufacturing defect, which i feel is a safety concern, i feel ford should be made responsible for the repair costs. there should be a mandated recall of this vehicle. also, when i bought the vehicle, the ford dealer should have been aware of the defect and should have applied the repair kit as should the dealer when i took it in for both repairs. a dealer's service department should be aware of common problems with their models and should communicate this with the owners. *la

Found that the rear coil spring was broken during a tire rotation. *ak

While driving 5 mph vehicle stalled. consumer tried to restart vehicle but was unable to do so. vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that transmission clutch plate needed to be replaced. *ak

The consumer complained about transmission failure. while driving, the transmission suddenly malfunctioned. it was called sudden transmission failure of clutch plates which caused the park pin plate not to stay in position. the consumer was told by the manufacturer and dealer that the pin did not stay engaged in the park position. he was told by dealer that ford was aware of this problem and there was a recall on this problem, but because he lived in canada he never received thr recall notice. the consumer purchased the vehicle in canada. the consumer spent about $5000-6000 in repairs on something that was recalled and no one wanted to help him because of where he lived. *ak *sc *jb

The frame of my 1996 ford taurus has rusted out where the frame mounts to the body on the right side. *mr

The state inspection refused to inspect consumer's vehicle because the sub frame corroded beyond repair. *ak

Rebuilt trans. nov. 2000, check engine light came on in may 2003 due to the trans. not going into overdrive. replace solenoids in trans. in june 2003 and that still did not correct the problem. paid $1600.00 to rebuild and $250.00 to replace solenoids.

We had problems with our heater core and ended up replacing it. we continually have problems with the rear calipars and hae replaced them twice and repaired them once (they seize). we currently have problems with peeling paint on the roof of the car, and window seals that we have not yet fixed; are there any recalls for these problems? a body shop technician told us that it looks as though the car has already been repainted once; we are not the original owner of the car.

While parked front driver side coil spring broke. as a result, the tire was punctured. *ak both front coil springs were replaced. the upper bracket also had to be replaced. *nm

On aug. 4, 2003, i noticed my car was shifting into neutral on a stop. on aug. 5, 2003, my car was shifting into neutral on a stop, and hesitating before slamming into first upon acceleration. on aug. 6, 2003, my car stopped shifting back into first when it neutralized at a stop. it had to be manually shifted to park, and back into drive. if i turned off the overdrive, which is automatically engaged on this car, she drove like new, but if i forgot to manually disengage my overdrive, my car very loudly reminded me to shut it off.

2nd ford vehicle to have head gasket failure. first was my 1995 ford windstar which i already reported to you. it was 1,000 miles over their extended 100,000 limit. this has caused serious financial difficulty to our family that may take a few years to catch up. took ford to small claims court last week and lost. this is a travesty to have this happening to families all over the country. i sincerely hope your organization can force them to pay reparations.

Eng size 3.0 transmission type ax4s or axode , transmission just stop pulling forward, had car since oct. 1998 bought used alway had problem with jerking when changing to first or second gear from day one when i bought car . told the dealer about the jerking when changing gear he said the the way the car was made. car is in shop now for transmission work. they said it must be the computer , couldnt find nothing wrong with the transmission. i think a recall should have been made on 1996 taurus . i am tired of spending money on this car. i know ford know about this problem.

Headlights would only work some of the time. dealer replaced defective headlight switch. the engine developed a high pitched squeal, almost like a belt squeal. it was determined the cam synchronizer was defective. at that time the cam position sensor was also found to be defective. the magnet was falling out. the coolant overflow bottle was discolored, leaking and full of cracks causing antifreeze to pour out of the cooling system. ford acknowledges there is a bank to bank coolant flow imbalance on some 1996 model year taurus leading to contaminated/corroded coolant. recall 98b23 was performed. but the damage was already done to the rest of the cooling system.

In may 03 ford said trans. was just wore out. had rebuilt by aamco and then at the end of july trans. had no park, was just like in nutral. on the way to aamco trans. fell apart. aamco tryed to say we did something wrong, but decided that we couldn't have so are in the process of trying to find a new case for are ax4n trans. now. it has been over two weeks now and still can not find a case. hope they find soon so can get car back and get rid of it, never to own another ford. this car has had continual small but still problems never the less sence we purchased it. have been a ford lover all my life and am kind of sad to say i will never own another ford.

Transmission failure as you described in your february 2001 article on anod e transmissions. the car has 97k miles on it and i believe the used car dealer knew it had problems when he sold it to me but i didn't have the knowledge concerning the car until i visited this website. i believe i will use the lemon aid car book in trying to get either ford or the dealer to deliver. the dealer was called fleet depot in bridgeville, pa i am going to the closest dealer kenny ross and hope i may get something resolved. sincerley, paul k. little

This car continually stalls out , the battery light comes on, the engine repair light comes on, the underneath suspension squeeks and groans, the brakes squeak, the wheel doesn't turn when the car stalls out. it has happened numerous times when i am turning a corner, the car stalls out and the wheel will not turn. now the computor systems are not working the air conditioning. i have to restart the car to get the radio and the air conditioning to start up. these things happen but no one can find a problem.

Ford taurus: head lights fogged over. we feel there is a severe defect in the seals for these headlights.*ak

The passenger side seat belt became stuck in the retractor. *ak *nm

While driving transmission failed, causing the driver to pull off the highway. the driver had vehicle towed to the dealer. *ak

Consumer shifted vehicle to park, but vehicle would actually be in the reverse gear. this would cause a problem for the consumer when trying to park the vehicle. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

I was on the highway with my car and just as i exited, the car began jerking uncontrollably as i came to a stop light. even with my foot on the brake the car would do this. the following day i couldn't even go to work and had one mechanic tell me it was the transmission and he could repair for $1600+(not incl tax). i took the car to another mechanic the following day and was basically told that this was common with the taurus's and that the repair would cost $1901.00 (tax incl). apparently this is a common problem based on the complaints i have read. ford should really address this. the problem specifically was:torque converter, neutral safety switch, overdrive piston, pump shaft, etc. *jb

1996 ford taurus while installing new front brake pads it was noticed that both front springs were broken.*ak

Had to replace the transmission in my car 2 times . *ak

Engine will not shut off when taking the key out of the ignition. consumer disconnected the coil wire and some fuses to get the engine to shut off. dealer determined that ignition actuator switch had to be replaced. *ak

We had purchased our 1996 ford taurus in july of 1999 with 30,000 on the odometer [xxx]. not long after this i had the cooling system flushed and, at about 40,000 miles the heater core goes out. at a cost of $600 we had it replaced. since then the heater core has been replaced 7 times; the last time being january 9, 2004 with 75,000 miles on the odometer. the first time the heater core had been replaced it was done by our local ford dealer and was repaired with a ford part. we were told that the part would have a 12 month, 12,000 mile warranty, so if the part fails again it would be covered by ford. this was a good thing. the part always failed before the 12k miles or 12 months (note: we also had the radiator replaced last summer 2003 at a cost of $850). after this last time it was suggested by the dealer that they will no longer replace it, nor will ford. since this car was made it seems, from what i have read and researched that ford had used a different coolant which as caused these premature 'failures' and refuses to do anything about it. ford blames it on electrolysis; saying that if the coolant system contains more than .4 volts that it can cause premature failure of any part of the coolant system. i have checked this voltage each and every time before having the heater core replaced and it has always been below .2 volts. i did not check it this time and was told by the dealer that they measured .7 volts!? i personally do not believe that electrolysis is or has ever been the problem. ford refuses to do any thing about this problem regardless of the cause. it was suggested that we buy another car; this was not in our plans because the car will be paid off in july of 2004; my wife was looking forward to not having any more car payments. so much for 'quality' is job one! please note: the ford dealer has been very helpful in trying to resolve this problem thanks to no help from ford.*ak updated 07/30/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

While driving and turning left adjusting bar pull out of the tie rod. *ak

Vehicle loses power steering after driving through standing water. serpentine belt squeals for about 20 seconds and when the noise stops the steering power is restored. *la

I have a 1996 taurus sedan. during a car seat safety inspection the officer advised us that the arm rest in the back seat could fall down during an accident, causing serious injury to the baby in a rear facing carseat. this was overlooked by the first officer. we purchased a new car seat and went back and the officer noticed this, so we put the carseat by a door. however, they say that the middle is normally the safest place for the baby. if there was something that you could do to make sure the arm rest wouldn't fall down this might save problems for someone else who, like us didn't even notice this could be a hazard.*ak

The seat belt light on the dashboard blinks on intermittently, and when it does the steering column locks up. when this occurs consumer loses control of vehicle. *ak

Consumer states that while driving and without warning tires had tread separation. dealer notified. size p205165r15. *ak

While driving about 55 mph on the highway and without prior warning vehicle shut down. due to a broken torque converter.*ak

The aluminum on all four wheels is chipping off causing the tires to lose air, i have to put air in the tires on a daily basis, i feel this is unsafe riding on tires that are low on air.*ak

Transmission has had a vibration and trouble shifting gears, i have heard rumors that other taurus owners have had same problems. car only has 60,000 adult driven miles on it and this seems out of the ordinary for an auto with so few miles. *ph

Vehicle was parked in the driveway when consumer realized that front suspension dropped. *ak

Frost plug experienced premature wear per dealership.*ak

Was rear ended in a five car accident,i had the middle car . i was slammed into the back of another car which in turn hit the vehicle in front of him. my air bags did not deploy, i know that i hit the car in front of me hard enough to deploy the bags because the front of my car was in his trunk. i caused major damage to his car. the police would not let me have my car because my airbags did not deploy.*ak

Transmission will slip out of gear while driving and right before the car comes to a complete stop, the tranny bucks. i was told by two transmission shops that the transmission has a faulty forward piston and needs to be rebuilt at a cost of $1800.00 dollars. the car has only 71k miles. after reading all these horror stories, i think ford should do the right thing and issue a recall!!

I own a 1996 ford taraus gl. the transmission in it has failed twice. each time, it suddenly stopped pulling, without any warning of a pending malfunction. each time this happened, the vehicle was being driven in traffic, but, fortunately, there were no accidents. i have been told that there is a design flaw in the transmission that accounts for its failure. i have contacted ford motor company concerning the failure of the transmission and asked that they inspect it. however, they have refused such an inspection. in as much as i have been told by mechanics that the transmission has a designed flaw and said flaw was responsible for the failure, i feel that an inspection could have been done by ford motor company to either verify or rule out any designed problems. it would appear that the inspection would have been the most economical approach to resolving a potential problem, as opposed to waiting for serious injuries or deaths to occur first.i feel that safety is compromised when a transmission fails in the manner that this one did; in triffic and without any warnning of pending malfunction. *ak

Total brake failure. brake lines rusted through causing leak. had to use emergency brake to stop.

My 1996 ford car came with general ameri g4s p20565r15 tires. by now three of the four have failed due to belt/tread separation. mileage was between 40000 and 50000 miles. remaining tread on highest mileage tire was .207". they have never ran underinfated or over loaded. the serial # is acur442515.*ak

While driving at normal speed, the transmission failed. *ak *ts *jb

Defective freeze plugs in 1996 ford 3.0 vulcan engine in taurus sedan. on two different occasions freeze plugs corroded through letting hot engine coolant spill on to my hands causing burns. there was a recall issued but i was never notified as the car owner. cost of repair vehicle was over $500 the engine transmission had to be removed and all freeze plugs were replaced. this cost should have been born by ford motor co. but was an out of pocket expense for me. *jb

Nhtsa# 96-v-086-000: park pawl shaft was improperly positioned when the roll pin that retains it was installed during transmission assembly. if the shaft was not properly positioned, the roll pin may not have lined up with the groove in the shaft and have been crushed at assembly. also, a burr could have been raised on the shaft. *ak consequence this could result in the park pawl occasionally not engaging when the transmission selector lever is placed in the park position. this could result in the vehicle rolling as if in neutral if the vehicle operator does not apply the parking brake. consumer has the same problem please provide further information.

The left rear passenger tire experienced tread separation. *jb

I had to replace the front sway bar links on my 1996 ford taurus three times over the last five years. *jb

I have a 96 ford taurus (vin [xxx]) i have had to have the heater core replaced 3 times in this car since i have had it, the most recent times being 6 months apart. this is a very costly repair (labor is 675.00) i called ford to complain and was told no recalls and no problems with this. i found out today that there has been problems with the heater core and a tsb had been released about it. i think ford should have to refund me the money i have spent on having it fixed and have it fixed according to the tsb also! i have had lots of problems with my car since i bought it and all of them seem to have some type of tsb out about them, why is ford not responsible for fixing these known problems?? *nlm information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

The consumers vehicle was stopped when another vehicle which was driving about 45 mph rear ended the consumer. the driver and passenger seat backs collapsed and as a result the consumer sustained an injured back. *nlm

I used my original jack to lift the vehicle to change the front, left tire. while lowering the vehicle, the jack suddenly gave out with the sound of stripping threads, and the car slammed to the ground. fortunately, no part of my body was under the car, and the tire was in place. identifying information on the faulty jack: where the crank meets the bolt: 5j 29 2 at the opposite end of the bolt: 00492 at the base of the jack: 2549 note: i was doing this in my garage, on a flat, concrete surface. the jack remained on its base the entire time - it did not tip over.*jb

When the vehicle accelerated from a stop, the transmission jerked into gear which caused the vehicle to lurch forward. the same issue occurred when the vehicle decelerated from high speed, the transmission down shifted abruptly. *jb ph

While backing the vehicle in the drive way, the front coil spring broke and punctured the front tire. the dealer was notified. *nlm ph *jb

While driving at any speed the engine light stayed on the remainder of the time the vehicle was being operated. the dealer was notified. *nlm *tt

Purchased my 1996 ford taurus wagon in nov. 2001. it accelerates at high speeds with cruise going down hill. the gas pedal often gets hung up which leaves me tapping it my foot to get it to go, so that i do not have an accident. the whole car rides very roughly. it also hangs up in passing gear almost every time. and also how do i find out where to check to see if all the recalls were taken care of. be careful for what u buy. *nlm

The service engine soon light on the dash of my 1996 ford taurus has been on for several months. after many diagnostic tests the problem is still not resolved. the obd computer in the vehicle is reading for 4 oxygen sensors when this vehicle only has 3 oxygen sensors. this resulted in the vehicle failing emissions testing for the state of georgia. *nlm

To whom it may concern. i bought a ford taurus 1996 from venuns ford in milwaukee wisconsin. i have only had this car for seven months and the gas pedal was sticking and taking off very fast and shifting its gears. the motor was rumbling and shaking. i had to repair the axles of the car. i had to take it back every month because of the engine. the water pump over heated and the gas pedal is still sticking and taking off very fast today. also the dealer is trying to take away the warranty so they wouldn't have to pay for the repairs. i asked the dealer to take a federal investigation but they refused. i asked for an even exchange for a different car but they wanted me to pay for this car and the other if i got one. urgently respond to my complaint. *jb

My ford taurus has less that 50,000 miles on it and i treat it like a baby. brought it in to the local ford dealership to have it serviced do to the "service engine soon" light coming on. they changed the oil and filter, performed multi-point inspection, changed the engine coolant and reprogrammed the powertrain control module as per tsb 97-8-6. i also had them rotate the tires. there was nothing wrong with this car as far as running (except that the service engine soon light was on). after getting the car back i noticed that when i was at a complete stop and went to accelerate the car was having a hard time "gripping the road". called ford dealer. took in again. they informed that it was the transmission and that it would need to be replaced. called ford headquarters no help there. this car was originally a leased car and when it was purchased by us it had low mileage. not a happy camper! *nlm

With vehicle in park, it rolled backwards. the consumer was found fatally crushed beneath the front driver side rocker panel and tire. the vehicle rolled backwards despite the fact that the transmission indicator was in the park position. the police concluded that the consumer parked on a paved driveway on a uphill incline. *jb

The automatic door locks started acting up a little after a year of our vehicle purchase. both left and right front doors are suppose to unlock all four doors when an unlock motion is done twice. we took the car in to the dealer three times for this problem with unsatisfactory results. at one point, we could not unlock the front driver's side door. after the warrenty period expired, the dealer suddenly had a solution to our problem but at our expense. i did not want to pay for a repair that should of been covered under warranty. the doors remain unrepaired to this day

My 17-year-old son was driving to edinburg, texas on a pretty busy street, when out of the blue the engine started to fail. he nearly got killed. thank god that didn't happen. the car cracked the head, and is in need of major repair. this has happened three times since the car was bought. about a month before the last incident, i noticed that the coolant water was a brown, almost muddy color and texture. i figured it was just left over damage from the engine repairs it had received. after doing a lot of research i found that ford had a customer satisfaction notice program for a "brown coolant recall." i never got the notice and my warranty expired a long time ago. this is clearly a full out ¿¿recall.¿¿ i would like for the nhtsa to get ford to pay for the damages that they have caused. many people all over the internet have had the same problem. i am currently still paying for the car and it is not fair for ford to get away with this non-sense. my son could have died all because ford didn¿¿t properly notify me. i will call ford tomorrow and explain what happened. if they don¿¿t help, and the nhtsa doesn¿¿t help either, i will have no choice but to sue ford. this is total nonsense. i'm not trying to steal their money, i just want for them to pay for their own screw up.

The consumer wanted to know if there were any recalls regarding her vehicle. *ts *jb

The vehicle was involved in a collision, and the air bags did not deploy.*jb

3 tires blew out after i bought car

Head gasket was never any good. i have spent approximately $2500.00 on repair cost and survived two winters without heat in the vehicle. ford company knew about the problem with the vehicle and did nothing. *nlm *scc **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis*734332

50 mph crash hit a mailbox and two six inch locust trees. airbags did not deploy. both of the sensors were pushed into the radiator

General g4s 20565r15 dotacur442990, the right rear tire. the three remaining tires have flat spots all around. please provide any further information. ph

Consumer complained about engine stalling problems. it only happens when driving at no more than 10 to 15 mph. dealer was contacted as well as the manufacturer,l and nothing has happened so far. ts...*ak

Excessive braking & transmission gear use---brakes overheated causing rotor glaze

A noise sounds like a large humming sound, that gets louder when the vehicle is at certain high speeds, could be the air bag installation appears to be defective or put in wrong.

The transmission range selector (also called park/neutral start switch) shorts internally and causes the variably assisted steering to malfunction (stop assisting entirely). date of incident may not be exact. while turning right at low speed into an alley power steering failed momentarily causing front wheel to jump the opposite curb onto the sidewalk and damage wheel cover. tsb # 96255 may describe problem, but i'm not sure. ford dealership pulled up a report on this for me. report states that the transmission range selector may short internally and cause the power steering assist to be reduced (eliminated), power windows to fail, and stereo to temporarily fail. this problem is intermittent and sporadic, but since the steering is adversely affected this problem constitutes a clear safety hazard. i feel that i was lucky as there was nobody/nothing to hit and that all i had damaged was a wheel cover.

Noticed a shimmey(vibration) early august, took car to dealer, back tires have flat spots. car was taken back on 8/13/01 because it continued to shimmey, was told that all tires have broken steel belts. general tires #9002 154 3376-0000-p205/65r15 6h

Transmission slips--86,000 miles getting trans rebuilt

Previously to this on 1/99, recall 98b23 was completed dealing with the rusty, corrosive coolant condition which develops in the 1996 taurus. now the coolant reservoir has developed numerous stress cracks causing antifreeze to pour out. this car only has 60,000 miles on it. after further inspectioin it appears the radiator has also developed a leak.

While driving at highway speed and shut down causing lost of power steering. ts

Consumer states that while driving at any speed and no warning the transmission will locked up and it will be hard for the consumer to control the vehicle and the consumer will be force to pull over. dealer notified. mr

Consumer called complaining about having problems with headlights. also stated that when she will turn on her lights only the day lights will go on. dealer was contacted and told the consumer to contact us. ts

While driving 60mph the engine shut down causing lost of power steering. add any additional information. ts

The consumer stated the vehicle vibrated when driving and when the brakes were applied. the dealer replaced the front rotors, pads and the problem still continued. it was later determined that the aluminum spindle at the ball joint broke and caused the axle to come off. *mr *nlm

A freeze plug became corroded, this caused the coolant to spray on the driver while driving the vehicle with no warning, abruptly. now head gaskets could be corroded or cracked. please describe details. nlm

Twice the power steering pulley has cracked no accident. possible result no steering, electrical cooling & then engine shutdown while driving.

Consumer states the rear axle inside dualtire deflated due to the valve stem rupturing. the vehicle was at the dealer being serviced. the consumer also states the problem is due to the wrong size valve stem on the tire for the vehicle's weight capcity and tire proessure. the make, model and year has been recalled (01-v-046-000 manfanturer id#01s05). the dealer is aware. plkase provide more information.

While driving engine gaskets blewout, causing vehicle to stall. consumer has had number safety problems with vehicle since purchase. has had to replace heater core/ radiator and thermostat.*ak

When driving and just stopping, andwith no warning spindle on camshaft came loose from engine.*ak

While traveling on the highway there is a gasoline smell coming through the vent area inside of vehicle. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

While driving vehicle and without warning engine stalled. dealer has been notified. mechanic stated frozen plug needed to be replaced.*ak

Consumer states while driving vehicle, there was a ticking noise, consumer continued to drive vehicle after a couple of days the engine cut off without warning.*jb

While driving in traffic ,engine light illuminated indicating tha t vehicle will stumble while in idle. dealership has been notified.*ak

Vehicle stalls at various speeds, dealer has adjusted pcm but this did not remedy the problem, the brakes cause vibration when stopping.*ak *nlm

The consumer turned on the heater and defroster and cold air along with a mist that filled the inside of the vehicle and covered the windshield. the consumer had to use paper napkins to clear the windows. the heater core is an existing problem that reoccurs every 3 months since april 2001. the dealer was notified. nlm coolant leak. dealer replaced heater core 5 times. right rear window inoperative. dealer replaced right rear window motor. switch on air conditioner control head falls off. dealer rpelaced cracked center control knob. sunglass compartment in center console lid broke off. console compartment door, hinge pins and spring replaced. squeak noise under hood. replaced belt tensioner and idler pulley. *tt

While driving 66mph vehicle lost all power without warning. everything locked up. took to dealer, and daler indicated engine needed to be replaced. *ak

While driving 30-35 mph vehicle crashed into a tree head on, caught on fire, causing injuries. upon impact, air bags did not deploy. *ak *yd

Vehicle will stall when slowing down and turning. also, stalls in warm weather. dealer contacted.*ak

When driving hit a puddle of water and passenger's side tire splashed water on serpentine belt which started to slip, pulling vehicle off the road. lost power steering. dealer contacted. *ak the alternator was also affected by the splashing water causing the engine to stall. *yh

When starting vehicle, the engine check light would remain on, followed by shaking and vibration. also intermittent stalling would occur when coming to a stop or applying accelerator pedal from a stop position, vehicle was taken to dealer shop, and had some severe repairs done, problem concerning engine is still occurring, also rear brakes were replaced, the coolant overflow bottle contained a leak. *slc

While traveling at 45 mph and without any warning, vehicle stalled. *ak consumer states the vehicle completely lost power, timing chain broke destroying the camshaft, 8 valves, upper gasket, head bolts and causing the cam sproket to fail. *tt

Rear axle broke while driving down the road. please describe. *ak

Auto stalls in traffice-creating a hazzard because auto could get rear ended. *ak

Vehicle's accelerator pedal stuck and cable broke at only 6 month old. *ak

The vehicle caught on fire from the engine due to a fuel leak.please describe. *ak

Vehicle stalls out when attempting to brake.mfr stated taurus model stall in extreme heat. *ak

After parking the vehicle and removing the key, vehicle rolled away. *ak

1) vehicle rolled from parking space 30 feet upon slight incline, w/steering wheel locked and gear shift still in park. please describe details. *ak

Experienced low speed engine stalling when approaching stop sign/intersection, no prior warning, dealer can't reproduce condition. *ak

Vehicle drifts all over the road while driving. resulting in poor directional control. please describe all othr problems. *ak

Rack and pinion and power pump replace, and smell like chemical burning or plastic

When applying the brake there was no brake, has abs anti-lock brakes. please describe . *ak

Consumer states that the power steering will not turn on or off and consumer is unable to steer or turn. dealer notified ts

During hot weather, engine stalls while deceleratoring. *ak

Camshaft snapped, causing loss of vehicle control. dealer has been notified. *ak consumer states that the sprocket on the camshaft came loose, causing the cam to quit turning, this caused the valves and pistons to hit each other, the engine died and vehicle lost power brakes and power steering. *slc

The bulb in the trunk caught some clothing on fire. tt

Abs brake light keeps coming on due to computer sensor failure, need replacing. *ak

After hitting a car head on the rear middle seatbelt buckle came loose, releasing the css on the floor. tt

Drifted to the left while making a turn the drivers side wheel fell off causing an accident. please describe. tt

Abs, brake failure when apllied brakes extended stopping distance impact 12:00 position speed 30 mph. tt

While driving at any speed vehicle will completely shutdown without warning, cause unknown. please give any further details.*ak

Vehicle accelerates faster than the desired speed. rpms rev up to 2 1/2 -3 in park. sensors were replaced, and set a few weeks ago, and idled down vehicle. problem has come back.

Heater core broke or ruptured and antifreeze came out of the vents inside the vehicle. it put a greasy film on windows like fog or steam. heater will not work. contacted dealer ,and dealer couldn't continue to fix vehicle becaus e warranty has run out. *ak

Consumer received manufacturer's recall notice in 1999 about engine cooling system. consumer had repairs done which replaced reservoir and heater coil. since then, problem still persists. recall did not remedy the problem. contacted dealer, and dealer stated nothing else they could do . also, contacted ford, and ford stated warranty expired, and nothing they could do. please add vin. *ak

When traveling 35mph on highway consumer applied brakes, and they hesitated/ and shook and and vibrated. also, brakes pulsate, and wandered off to the right. dealership has replaced brakes twice within two weeks later. *ak

While driving 55 mph had a front impact on driver's side, and driver's airbag did not deploy. vehicle was totalled, no injuries.*ak

Consumer was traveling about 30mph on highway and noticed that airbag light was blinking, and without prior warning both airbags went off. he was forced into concrete barriers on road. vehicle had smoke inside, and was totaled. there were no injuries.*ak

Vehicle loses power steering if right wheel splashes water onto serpintine belt. it only happens if right wheel goes through a water puddle and splashes water onto the serpintine belt. consumer has had the problem happen 3times before. problem has been repaired currently. consumer please add vin# and mileage to form. *ak

Consumer was traveling about 55mph on highway and vehicle shut off without prior warning. vehicle stalls at anytime on highway. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

While traveling over rail road tracks vehicle stalled in middle of tracks without any indication. consumer coasted vehicle off tracks. dealer has been notified. please provide further information.*ak

Consumer called it a soft plug that when it blew water and anti freeze leaked out of vehicle. and vehicle can overheat. *ak consumer states that it cost 70 dollars to replace one soft plug. *slc

While traveling at approximately 30 mph in city traffic vehicle lost all power when engine stalled. dealership examined vehicle, and determined that head gasket needed to be replaced at consumers expense of $1400.00. *ak

While driving about 15 mph heard noise like a garbage disposal, then vehicle lost power. after stopping saw a lot of transmission pieces on ground. took it to dealer for repairs. *ak the manufacturer agreed to replace the transmission at a cost of $1000 since it failed prematurely. however, the consumer found out that there were 3 recalls on transmission for the 1996 model and was seeking refund of the repair cost. owner was not notified of the recall. *yh

During normal operation of the vehicle, a loud "thud" noise was coming from front. independent mechanic examined vehicle and found that front right cradle mount was broken. consumer was informed that vehicle was not included in campaign number 98v323000. *ak *slc

Vehicle was involved in a 25-30 mph frontal collision in which driver and passenger air bags deployed, causing occupant of passenger seat to receive injuires to eyes and face. *ak air bag deployed and blow up failing to hold air keeping the passenger safe. *yh

Vehicle lost braking power while traveling down hill, causing it to lose control and hit a guardrail. manufacturer was notified. feel free to provide any further details on this matter.*ak

Fuel pump went out. technician stated that it would take 2 week for part to come in. manufacturer was contacted . please provide further information.*ak

Ongoing problem with windshield wipers only operating in low speed mode. dealer was not notified at this time. feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak

While traveling notice engine check indicator light would stay on. technician stated that camshaft needed to be replaced. please provide further information.*ak

Rpms increased while consumer was going 60mph. it kept revving without giving any gas. finally it quit running, and vehicle stalled. consumer was able to drift in a parking lot. dealer has replaced transmission twice with rebuild transmissions, and it still was not correct. dealer only warrantied transmission for 12,000 miles or 12 months. dealer said they didn't put in new transmissions, they just rebuild them. *ak

Vehicle stalls out while driving, no warning flashes to alert consumer. problem is intermittent. deaelr keeps saying they have internal memorandum, but until there is a recall they're not doing anything about it. *ak

Door handles do not work properly. they open door sometimes, and other times it do not. contacted dealer, they were not willing to help. *ak

Rear shoulder belts are getting jammed inside retractor and cannot be pulled out, causing loss of protection.*ak

When driving at 40 mph consumer was involved in a head-on collision. upon impact frontal driver's air bag, and driver's side air bag did not deploy. consumer has contacted dealer, dealer unable to determine cause. please provide any further details.*ak

Consumer noticed smoke coming from underneath passenger's side. within minutes later, vehicle was up in flames. insurance company claimed fire started due to electrical wiring. vehicle was a total loss.*ak

While traveling 35-40mph fell asleep at wheel and struck a light pole. neither airbag deployed. *ak

Vehicle will not shift into overdrive. *ak

Rack & pinion sttering had to be replaced on four occasion within a year. dealer did the repairs. please feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak

Intermittently when brakes are applied or while applying brakes vehicle will surge forward suddenly and unexpectedly. dealer has not been able to duplicate or correct problem.*ak

While pulling up to park tried to turn car off and it would not turn. took vehicle to dealer, and they said the steering column broke.*ak

Consumer was involved in a head-on collision at 30 mph. upon impact, driver's side air bag did not deploy, causing driver to be forced into dashboard. consumer has yet to contact dealer. please provide any further details.*ak

Heat gauge went up and down. took vehicle to dealer who flushed coolant and found coolant had broken down and damaged engine. vehicle still at dealer at this time. blown head gasket. *ak

Ongoing problem with engine stalling during deceleration. vehicle has been in dealer shop and independent repair shops on six occasions, and problem still reoccurring. *ak stalling mostly occurs when driving on a down grade while slowing, consumer states vehicle will not stall if the air conditioner is turned on, nothing comes up when vehicle has been hooked up to diagnostics computer to find out problem. *slc

While driving at any rate of speed vehicle will completely shutdown without warning, cause unknown. please give any further details.*ak

Power steering makes a squeaking noise when turning right and left. dealer has been contacted, and notified consumer that power steering pump was going bad. *ak

Was driving approximately 40mph when it suddenly stopped. was no warning. vehicle towed to mechanic. found engine damage due to lack of fluid. freeze plugs ahd fallen out, and leaked fluid. vehicle fuel had registered overheating. *ak

Rear tail lights and back up lights were not working. electrical defect did not affect headlights or dashboard lights.*ak

In rainy weather vehicle stalls at any speed. *ak the vehicle stalls especially when driving in puddles. the dealer could not find the problem. *yh

Engine will rev at a high rpm or stall for no apparent reason.*ak

Was driving vehicle and spark plugs popped out of engine. would make a lot of noise. have taken to dealership twice & mechanic did not know cause of spark plugs popping out. *ak

Brakes do not work properly, consumer feels like they are bouncing. engine check light and abs brake light remain on when vehicle is in use. *ak

All four tires have defective linning around the tires. consumer is concerned at this time. tires are bridgestone, #420, p205/165r15. he has contacted firestone and ford.*ak

Consumer was involved in a collision in which rear seat collapsed forward, causing css to become wedged between front and back seat. *ak

Vehicle will stall while driving in traffic, causing a safety hazard. vehicle will restart after cooling down. *ak

Had driven through a puddle of water & the water got inside the front of vehicle. belts inside got wet. this caused the engine to stall. had made squealing noises when it was stalling. after a few seconds squealing sound stopped. vehicle then returned to normal. did not have to restart vehicle. taking vehicle to dealer to check.*ak

While driving in traffic vehicle will completely shutdown without warning, cause unknown. dealer cannot identify problem. please give any further details.*ak

When the weather gets hot, and vehicle slowes down a little it will shut down. also, dash lights come on, and car is dead. consumer was almost rear ended because of this problem.*ak

While driving about 55 mph engine without prior warning stalled/ just stopped working.consumer steered off the road, and dealer did not know what could have cause the problem.*ak the day before this failure, the heating system stopped working. the following day, the vehicle stall. the dealer says the coolant system was the cause, and that the engine need to be replaced. *yh

Vehicle would overheat while traveling. notice coolant coming from left side of vehicle engine. notified dealer / manufacturer, and both informed consumer that vehicle was not covered under recall or extended warranty. please feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak

When defroster is tured on, a mist of sticky fumes develope at the bottom of windshield. this mist has caused consumer to have headache and stomach problems. manufacturer has not been contacted.*ak

When vehicle comes to a stop it jumps into neutral. dealer has inspected vehicle. *ak

While driving on highway in rain storm, instantly when consumer took foot off gas pedal and put it on brake pedal, engine failed which caused a loss of brakes, resulting in rearend accident. *ak

When trying to make a right turn power steering will quit working on rainy days when i go through puddles of rain on right wheel. then, start working again after a few minutes. *ak

When driving consumer noticed vehicle overheated due to a leak within the engine compartment. also, a problem with battery draining out, and headlights come off and on. consumer have contacted the dealer. *ak the thermostat failed. *yh

Air bag sensor light kept blinking on/off intermittently;. dealer notified, and was unable to correct the problem. seeking help from nhtsa in this matter. please feel free to provide any further details. *ak

While driving was hit in front. first, vehicle spun; then, caught on fire without a prior warning.*ak

While traveling vehicle would lose all transmission, and vehicle would not travel forward. dealer has replaced transmission. please provide further information.*ak

When vehicle was placed in park, and when it was started later in the day, vehicle was unable to move. shifter cable broke, causing consumer not to be able to change any of the gears. *ak shifter cable braking is due to design flaw and many other consumers had this problem. the manufacturer did not issue recall notice but is aware of the problem. *yh

While traveling at 65mph, vehicle started to lose power, engine check light came on, then engine quit. consumer had to get to shoulder by using hazard lights. while consumer was on shoulder engine caught fire. consumer says temparature gauge went to 3 quarters intermittently. *ak

Abs brake pump mechanism obtains water which freezes, causing the brakes to fail. please give any further details. *ak

Had three children in the back seat. went to put the shoulder strap belt on in the middle. pulled it out, came all the way out, and would not retract back in. contacted dealer. *ak

Front brakes are not operable. when he applying brakes pedal goes all the way down to the floor. *ak

While driving engine overheated due to blown head gasket. dealer has not seen vehicle. *ak

While backing out of parking space and shifting into drive, vehicle would not travel. dealer stated that cable was broken. *ak

Rear passenger's side restraint will not retract, causing occupant to be unrestrained. *ak

While driving engine check light illuminated. when consumer pulled over an under the hood fire started. fire department came and put the fire out. cause was determined to be an electrical short. ford has been contacted. *ak

When turning on defroster ,all front windows and windshield will fog up lasting about 2- 3 mintues causing poor visibility. manufacturer claims this is a normal due to plastic components in vehicle. *ak

Transmission doesn't shift correctly. when pulling off from stop sign vehicle appears to change gears, but then goes into neutral. vehicle has been to dealer for repairs, but dealer has no remedy for problem. *ak

When traveling consumer noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. anti-freeze was spraying onto the engine when vehicle overheated. consumer contacted the dealer. dealer determined the cause to be a frozen plug which needed replacing. please provide any further details. *ak

While changing gears from park to drive vehicle would jump out of gear without indication. dealer has been notified. owner paid for repairs to transmission and seeks reimbursement. *ak *ml

While driving heard a noise in front end of vehicle. this problem is most noticeable when making a left or a right turn. dealer states that noise is due to a malfunction within the rack and pinion steering. *ak *ml

While driving 65mph noticed vehicle was losing power & then died out. smoke was coming from the front. checked underhood & noticed oil leaking from engine. vehicle was towed to dealership. informed by mechanic anti-freeze going inside of engine compartment. head gaskets failure caused engine to blow up. *ak

The door ajar warning light remains illuminated, indicating that a door is open. consumer is concerned that this could cause a short circuit. please give any further details. *ak

Rear seat belts will not extend. dealer will not repair . please provide further informaton. *ak

While driving abs light will appear unexpectedly on dashboard, and consumer will need to turn off engine. then, light will disappear. *ak

While driving out of the neighborhood to a service road, made a left hand turn and tire rod broke, vehicle veered off to the right and hit a concrete power line. upon impact, airbags didn't deploy on either side. contacted the local mechanic, and was told that the vehicle had been in an accident before. contacted the dealer. *ak

Brakes work intermittentlyywhen con applies his brakes there is a clinking noise. the dealship has been contacted. *ak

While driving the light switch assembly became hot. dealer has been notified. please provide further details. *ak

Engine head gaskets blew out while driving . manufacturer has been notified. *ak

Due to a defective steering rack and pinion steering malfunctioned, resulting in loss of control. please provide further information. *ak

While driving transmission could get real hard to shift gear when switching from park to drive. this will be the third transmission and powertrain control module for this vehicle. *ak

On-going / intermittent problem with accelerator pedal sticking. dealer notified, and consumer has an appointment for inspection of vehicle. *ak

While driving at 45mph owner hit a deer, and driver side/passenger's side airbags deployed. airbags busted the windshield, and driver's airbag knocked driver out. vehicle is currently in bodyshop. *ak

Vehicle was repaired under service recall # 98b27 in dec of 98 for the cooling unit. while driving vehicle overheated and died because it was leaking anti freeze. dealer and manufcturer have been notified. *ak

Dealer informed of a defective power steering pump. informed consumer they would pay half for part and labor , which would be at cost of $500.00. consumer would like to know if the part was defective and why should she pay anything. *ak

Airbag light comes on, indicating a problem with airbag system. problem is reoccurring after getting the problem fixed previously. please provide further information. *ak

Intermittent problem with engine hesitating while driving. dealer was not notified at this time. informed consumer to report condition to dealer. *ak

When the accelerator pedal is applied the vehicle will not move or surge forward. the manufacturer has been notified. *ak

When driving at any speed vehicle isn't shifting properly and stalls. also, and tire shake. *ak

Freeze plugs burst, causing engine to die. also, blown head gasket. *ak

Windshield wipers would stop working while in operating mode, or speed would change from high to low intermittently. dealer notified, and nothing would be done unless consumer picks up the expenses. *ak

When sitting in vehicle or driving there is a coolant smell and vapors are getting into the vehicle from the engine. *ak

Brake warning light stays illuminated on the dash panel. dealer has been contacted. *ak

When vehicle accelerated transmission jerked hard. a recall has been issued on the vehicle, however this vehicle was not included. manufacturer has been notfied.*ak

Transmssion failed while driving at approximately 25-30 mph. no sign given during malfunction. incident occurred at 62,990 miles. asking nhtsa to look into this matter. *ak *ml

Abs module needs replacement. replacement would cost approximately $587.90. consumer would like to know if this is a safety issue. why? must we pay instead of manufacturer. *ak

Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision at 30mph, and the airbags did not deploy,resulting in minor injuries. the vehicle was totaled. *ak

While driving at speed of 10 mph brakes will lock up in rainy conditions, cauing the vehicle to cut off.this happened several times. *ak

The power steering fluid had leaked out. fluid is coming from tubbing that's rubbing against the undercarriage of vehicle. this had caused a pin hole in tube. also, steering was making grinding noise when turned. have not been to dealer yet.

Engine oil pan rusted through from the bottom which caused oil leak. this may cause a fire. please provide further information. *ak

At 38,352 miles transmission completely malfunctioned also the transmission casing prematurely cracked. please give any further details. *ak

Automatic transmission/overdrive is very hard to downshift when vehicle hits bumps on the road. had been in the shop for repairs. problem has not improved, but is getting steadily worse. *ak

Vehicle experienced problem with brake system failing completley. vehicle inspected by dealer shop and informed consumer tha t nothing could be found. *ak

Transmission would not release from the park gear position. had the vehicle towed to dealership for repair. *ak

Intermittently windshield wipers become inoperable. the dealer has been notified. *ak

When ever the vehicle runs through a puddle of water, the dashboard lights fail and engine completely shuts / cuts off. the vehicle can be instantly started back up by turning the ignition again. dealer can't find solution. *ml

Throttle body got stuck, causing vehicle to suddenly accelerate, which may cause a crash. please provide further information. *ak

Gas pedal is sticking. problem was identified to ford and repairs were mad., manufacturer could not duplicate the problem. after warranty expired, manufacturer found problem. repairs to be made at owners expense. provide further information. *ak

Front motor mounts broke in two. dealer has been contacted. *ak

While driving the vehicle will lose power and not accelerate, dealer states that the gear in the transmission is what is causing the problem. please give any further details. *ak

Engine head gasket cracked, causing vehicle to overheat also, vehicle leaked/stalled and cut off without prior warning while driving at 45 mph. dealer is aware of the problem. *ak

A part within the steering column broke, causing the steering column to slip and the steering wheel to become lose which could result in loss of vehicle control. there was a grinding noise when making turns. *ak

Driver hit anothe rvehicle head-on with a 25 mph inpact ,dual airbags did not deploy, causing injuries. *ak

Whenever it rains / going through some water. doors work intemittently. *ak *yc

When vehicle was turned off it caught a fire in the engine towards the passenger's side. please provide further information. *ak

Seat belt on the passenger's side and all belts in the rear, tighten while pasengers sit,and get tighter and tighter. the problem has been reported to the manufacturer. *ak

Consumer was driving approximately 20mph, turning into a puddle, and engine stopped/ all power was lost. shortly, it returned automatically, and consumer continued to drive. dealership replaced the engine belt. there was a memorandum whereas consumer had problem being taken care off. *ak

Vehicle was idling near garage. had opened door when vehicle leaped forward. had taken to dealer & nothing found by mechanic. the 2nd time, everything was in gear (parked) & owner in front of vehicle when it leaped forward & broke garage door. vehicle pushed owner through the door. *ak

While driving power steering has frozen up, making steering hard to control, and it doesn't retract on its own. dealer has been contacted. *ak

During a very heavy rain, the windshield wipers shut down right in the middle of operation. spontaneously the wipers will start up again. the vehicle was taken to the dealership. the problem was corrected at owner's expense. *ak

Consumer was driving approximately 30mph in the rain 3-4 car lengths when he began to apply the brakes, the pedalwas hard, and vehicle slid underneath a pickup truck at 32000 miles. also, the brake pads were replaced. after the accident and the neccessary repairs and replacements made, the dealership recognized that when driving over 50mph and braking, the brakes would be hard, there was no assit, just hard brakes. *ak

While driving vehicle at various speeds the engine will suddenly shut down without warning which could result in an accident. *ak

While at a stop or in park position, vehicle suddenly accelerated unexpectedly which could have caused an accident. been to dealer, and dealer could not determine the problem. please provide further information. *ak

At 61,000 miles a malfunction has ocurred within the transmission which causes the vehicle, when coming to a stop, to go into neutral even if the vehicle is in drive. also, after stepping on the accelrator pedal the vehicle will jump, and proceed in drive. dealership claimed that it was because owner did not change the transmission fluid, owner later discovered that there were some recalls for different vin#s. *ak.et.

A spring broke within the rear seat belt, causing it not to retract, and does not operate properly. *ak

Transmission is malfunctioning which may cause loss of vehicle control. please provide further information. *ak

When turning vehicle to the right and returning, vehicle makes noises and vibrates. dealer says steering filter hose and power steering gear short assembly needs to be replaced. *ak *ml

At least twice a month when consumer is driving at various speeds vehicle stalls. problem started july, 96. dealers hasn't been able to duplicate this problem. *ak

While driving through wet puddle vehicle would stall with no prior indication. *ak

While in a car accident driver's air bag did not deploy without indications. please provide further information. *ak

While pulling out of the driveway and turning to the right, there is a loud noise coming from the vehicle and something is rubbing under the vehicle. the consumer can't determine where the noise is coming from. *ak

Rear seat belts would not retract properly. dealer notified, and refused to repair unless cost goes to consumer due to expired warranty. *ak *yc

While pulling out of a parking spot or turning the wheel to turn a corner one hears a squeaky noise. dealer was contacted said tie rod end had to be replaced. *ak

Consumer has been experiencing problems with driver's and passenger's side air bags. also, air bag impact sensor stays illuminated. the manufacturer has been contacted. *ak

When driving through water or rain the battery light comes on. brakes make a squeeking noise and the steering locks up. contacted dealer when under warranty. problem went away temporarily, but currently problem reappeared.*ak

Consumer experiencing problem with vehicle. whenever it is at a stop gear shifter has to be moved back and forth before vehicle would move. dealer notified. *ak

All four tires were wearing out excessively. dealer has not replaced any of the tires. had them balanced & rotated. was informed to contact the tire manufacturer for replacement. nothing dealership can do. *ak

When driving in rainy weather the power steering goes out. the windshield wipers also stop working. the vehicle has been taken to the dealership three times since april of 1997 for this problem. the dealer changed the power steering belt which did not correct the problem. vehicleis at dealership for the fourth time for this problem. *ak

Vehicle intermittently stalls out while driving. dealer notifed, and informed consumer that if it occurred again to bring the vehicle in. *ak

Steering wheel would lock up. steering would get sluggish & moan. took to mechanic & was informed that the actuator assembly/hose/ power steering rack needed replacing. had them replaced twice before, but problem still exists. this last time mechanic could not locate what the problem was. *ak

Defroster is used,windows fog up, causing poor visibilty. dealers could not duplicate problem. cause unknown. *ak

Consumer was driving at approximately 45 mph and was making a sharp turn at the outer part of curve, automatic steering control became inoperative, causing loss of steering control, almost resulting in accident. *ak

Whle driving down the highway a trailer attempted to pass another automobile and came into consumer's lane, hitting her vehicle and demolishing it. air bags did not deploy. *ak

The engine head gasket had blown out. vehicle had to pull over because engine overheated. *ak

Hit an oncoming vehicle at 25 mph due to a sudden stop, causing air bag to deploy. the air bag on passenger's side flew off, hitting passenger in the face, causing a fractured jaw .dealer notified. two injuries occurred. *ak

While driving vehicle clutch disengages, causing vehicle not to move from a stand still. dealers have replaced clutch assembly seals which corrected problem. *ak

Serpentine belt has slippage, causing loss of vehicle control. problem occurs when vehicle is driven over water puddles. *ak

Consumer complained of smelling anti-freeze that was coming into vehicle while driving.vehicle been at dealer several times, still no correction was made. dealer notified. *ak

Consumer slowed down to make a left turn when she hit another vehicle on the side head-on. the passenger's side air bag deployed, injuring the passenger. passenger and driver were taken to the hospital. driver's side air bag deployed, and the driver suffered a broken wrist. the passenger is 67years of age. had almost every bone in face broken, except for lower jaw bone. the air bag cover was dented due to impact of passenger's face. *ak

Whenever brakes are applied transmission would jerk or slip. took to dealer & mechanic replaced it with a rebuilt one. jerking/slipping reappeared. took vehicle back & it was test driven, no problems existed. for a 3rd time, problem reoccurred. mechanic informed owner that ford orderd not to fixed the vehicle even though the manufacturer knew about the transmission problem. *ak

Consumer is complaining that vehicle will shut down in high temperature for no reason. this condition has occurred once before. dealer notified and informed consumer to let them know if it occurs again, but nothing was done. *ak

When defroster is on the windows are instantly filled with a thick solid green fog, obstructing the view of the driver. tsb is out for problem. dealer and manufacturer have been notified. *ak

Consumer was traveling at 45-50 mph when the vehicle lost all power steering and all electrical functions, making it very difficult to operate the vehicle. consumer has contacted the dealer. *ak

Consumer states in warm weather when the vehicle is placed in gear vehicle does not move. problem seems to be intermittent. *ak it takes 10-15 seconds of pressing the gas pedal before the vehicle goes into gear, forward or reverse. *slc

When going downhill the vehicle surges and bucks. this also happens on a flat plain but more when going down hill. this is a intermediate problem. the dealer is not able to correct problem with vehicle. *ak

During rainstorm windshield wipers will become inoperative. will begin to slow down or delay, making it difficult to see. dealer cannot duplicate problem. *ak

When driving over a puddle of water, the power steering belt got wet, causing the vehicle to lose power steering. also belt slips. *ak

While making a right turn and going over some water in the road which hit the power steering belt, causing the vehicle to lose power steering control. please give any further details. *ak

When it rains the water from the rain shuts down all power to the vehicle, causing the vehicle to lose all power steering. this is a problem that the dealer can not fix. this problem only occurs when it rains and the water hits the vehicle. *ak

Power steering rack/return hose/ gear short assembly is defective, causing the vehicle to vibrate heavily. makes grunting noises when making right hand turns. service bulletin is out for defect. dealer will repair if there is a warranty. *ak

While driving the defective power steering causing noises in the right side of the vehicle and no power steering which caused loss of control of the vehicle. dealer replaced rack pinion and power steering pump. dealer cannot determine problem. *ak

After 8 miles new vehicle needed to turn rotors. after approximately 3000 more miles another set was needed. approximately every 3000 miles new rotors and calpiers. put in new systems , dealership can never fix defect properly. uncontrolable in the steering wheel. this defect can result in an accident. *ak

Driving about 35mph when power steering tightened up suddenly & was unable to control vehicle ;lost steering control, took to dealer to locate problem. so far could not. *ak

The defective design of the power steering system malfuctions when water is sprayed into the power steering belts, and causes loss of power steering and vehicle control. dealer replaced 2 pumps, rack and pinion. dealer cannot determine problem. *ak *slc

Whenever driving vehicle, radiator cooling (anti-freeze) would overflow onto the fan serpentine belt due to slickness of coolant, would lose control of steering. moved to side of road to let coolant dry on fan belt & then would proceed. *ak

The defective rear braking system malfunctioned causing more wear and tear to the front braking system which caused extended stopping distance. almost resulted in an accdient. *ak

While driving vehicle at 55 mph or above steering wheel vibrates. dealers cannot find problem. *ak

When making a left or right turn at any rate of speed the vehicle will lose all power steering ability which could result in loss of vehicle control. dealer replaced the transmission module which may have corrected the problem. please give any further details. *ak

While driving at 15 mph vehicle stalls; also, stalls while turning. dealership notes possible engine valve cover failure. owner notes that when brake pedal is pressed vehicle still wants to die out. *ak

The steering belt is not protected well, and when driving through water the belt gets wet and all steering power is lost. dealer is not able to fix problem at this time because part is not available from manufacturer. expecting part next quarter. *ak

Everytime the car is washed or it rains the locks lock up until the car dries. dealer tried to fix it and failed. *ak

While driving, stop and go, an anti freeze like odor comes into interior of vehicle; causes dizziness and nausea; dealer replaced radiator expansion tank; did not solve problem.

While vehicle was parked noticed flames coming from inside of the vehicle, and there was a fire on the driver's side under the steering wheel. *ak

The park pawl is broken on the vehicle. the car will roll forward when in park. there is a recall on the part but his vin is not included. *ak

When driving at speed 3040 to 40 mph, vehicle will completely shut off without warning. *ak

When driving through a puddle of water the alternator light comes on and all power steering is lost. *ak

Abs brake failure, when applied the brakes the pedal was very hard, causing extended stopping distance and impact 12:00 position, speed 25mph. *ak

During rear-end collision the passenger's side seat mechanism broke, causing the seat to fall backwards into the rear seat. *ak

Consumer was traveling about 150 mph and the front left wheel separted from the front of the vehicle, consumer then lost control of the vehicle, contacted the dealer, dealer replaced the rim. please describe further details. *ak

Vehicle had no brakes when coming off the interstate, tried pumping the brakes, they woudn't work. vehicle had to be towed. vehicle's electrical system just shut down. *ak

Hood latch: attempted to open the hood ant the entire latch came off in driver's hand. *ak

Steering: when driving the vehicle and making a turn to the right there is a vibration in the steering, and it makes a loud noise like metal rubbing metal. had the car in for repair on march 6, and dealer said it was in the steering and they had to order the part. has been in touch with them many times and they don't have the part to fix the problem. *ak

All four exterior door handles will not open from the outside in warm weather, this happens sometimes, but not all of the time. *ak

Abs brake failure, when driving vehicle at any speed lost effectiveness and pedal went to the floor; also, while driving making a grinding noise. *ak

After making a stop the vehicle would not move unless the gear shift was moved around. vehicle is at dealership to be repaired. *ak

Owner states while driving vehicle automatic transmission jerks wiithout warning.owner feels that it could cause an accident. *ak

Driver can't see through rear window because of defroster and shape of window. dealer can't do it because it's part of the design. *ak

The transmission went out, vehicle had to be driven at 25 mph. dealer replaced a chip in transmission. *ak

The owner got into the car and started it up and played with the radio when the passenger's side airbag deployed without a vehicle collision.

While driving vehicle and when there is a quick change in the road surface, the struts make a clunking noise. vehicle has been in shop (5) or (6) times for this problem since july of 96. the struts and sway bar were replaced a couple of months ago. also, new subframe insulators were put in a few weeks ago. vehicle is still making a clunking noise. *ak

When driving over a puddle, the alternator belt gets wet, causing the vehicle to lose steering power, and the vehicle stalls. *ak *nlm

When applying the brakes there is a strong vibration in the steering wheel and the vehicle keeps moving. this happens on normal road condtions. the system has abs. *ak consumer states seat belts lock up before they are put on. steering wheel churns as it is being turned, dealer can not find problem. *slc

Noticed small leak in driveway. traveled approximately four miles at six mph and dual air bags deployed. *ak

Consumer states when making a turn from freeway onto an exit ramp, power steering seems to turn off, at one point consumer almost lost control, auto became hard to steer. *ak consumer also states idle spped at cold start up remains at approximately 1350 rpm for greater than 60 seconds, this causes the vehicle to accelerate when placing vehicle in reverse.*jb

Owner states that she was involved in an accident. she struck a vehicle in the rear while traveling at 25-30mph and there was no deployment of either airbag.vehicle has dual airbags that did not deploy upon impact. *ak

When applying the hydraulic brakes at hwy speeds, the steering wheel shakes. please describe. *ak

When abs brakes are applied and slows down, vehicle will go into open throttle position, rpms unknown, to stop vehicle push on brakes real hard and put gear into park and turn ignition off. *ak

Frontal collision, impact 12:00 position, speed25mph, dual airbags did not deploy. driver sustained injuries. *ak

Vehicle was parked and started smelling smoke and the all of a sudden the vehicle was on fire. the vehicle caught on fire under the hood. *ak

When engine belts get wet, vehicle experiences loss of power steering. *ak

Engine stalls out while driving or sitting at traffic lights. vehicle will restart. *ak

The dealer doesn't have the tools to finish the transmission repair and the consumer has notified the manufacturer about the tools. please describe details. *ak

The brake drums/rotors and seat arm rest were replaced, has 800 miles on car . please describe . *ak

Received recall letter #96v176000, made an appointment a week ago, took car on appt date, dealer informed driver that there were no parts available to fix this car , have had transmission problems. please describe . *ak

Driver had crashed into the rear end of another car and air-bags did not come out. *ak

During impact, the driver's side air bag did not deploy and the driver's side seat belt did not lock. *ak

No parts have been received, they were ordered on 10-29-96 for recall-96v176000. *ak consumer stted had not been contacted in over a month.*jb

Consumer was involved in a minor collision and the driver's and passenger's side air bags deployed, causing injuries to the driver. also, side air bag cracked the windshield. *ak

On normal road conditions when coasting or braking at a low speed the vehicle has a very rough downshift. dealer is aware of problem but has no solution. *ak

On hard right turns the vehicle makes single loud bumping sounds. *ak

When car is in park position it jumps out of park, received recall letter #96v176000, took car to dealer , dealer said that vehicle wasn't in the recall . please describe . *ak

Driving 35mph steering locks up and engine dies with no notice. don't know what the problem is or what is causing it. *ak

Vehicle is equipped with a manually activated light switch. when the switch is set to the headlight position, the area to the left of the switch on the instrument panel heats up and remains hot. this condition only happens when the headlights are turned on. *ak

When applying the abs brakes, the brakes are making a loud noise, and brakes failed to stop the vehicle. replaced brakes. *ak

A metal to metal noise is heard coming from the steering column, also the steering tightens when making a right turn. *ak

When the air conditioner is on, the passengers in the vehicle experience a burning of the noses and eyes. the dealer installed a deodorizer to clean out the system. *ak

When turning right only there is a noise . please describe . *ak

When making a right hand turn at slow speed there's a very bad rubbing noise. please give more detail. *ak

During heavy braking passenger's side seat belt lock, upon continuation of driving, belt doesn't release, have to unlatch and relatach to adjust tensionioner, sometimes latch appears to be latched and it really isnt, dealer has had many complaints about 2 pos. latch. *ak

Taken to dealer (3) times for transmission failures and problem is still occurring. dealer stated that the problem cannot be rectified because another solution from the manufacturer is needed. 96v086000

Right rear shoulder belts does not retract, belt remains loose, does not adjust to occupant. replaced by dealership; also, road side emergency flashing light does not work when pressed switch. *ak

The vehicle lost its abs system. the owner went to apply the brakes and the pedal would not depress and the car would not stop. *ak

Upon cold start after sitting two hours, vehicle accelerated after shifting from reverse into drive. vehicle went through the side of the garage. please describe details. *ak

Cooling system leaks anti-freeze and overheats.

Purchased car new, there is a leak in the trunk and a bad smell in the car . please describe .*ak

While driving at 70mph vehicle turned off almost causing an accident.this occurred due to a defective transmission sensor that failed. car is 3 weeks old.*ak

The air bag indicator light flashes on and off and sometimes it stays on.*ak

Driver side airbag failed.

While driving vehicle, coming off freeway, the gas line from the gas tank to the gas filter became disconnected for no reason and there was about (5) gallons of gas spillage on the road..*ak

Consumer stated the jack collapsed during a tire change, while the vehicle was up on the jack joint in the jack, it separated causing it to fold foward, therefore causing the vehicle to fall pinning the consumers wrist between the fender and the top of the tire.*jb

When making a right turn only. a loud noise is experienced from the steering.*ak

Transmission recall repairs refused due to unavailability of parts (96v-086). *ak

Door ajar, lights along with other lights come on with cause unknown. please describe details.*ak

When turning on the air conditioner there is egg smell in the car , at 65 miles ph there is a noise in the car . please describe

The display shows that the door is ajar when it is not, this prevents the doors from locking and the interior lights from going off. *tt

Transmission slipping.

Pulled into gas station, filled tank, as hand touched pump nozzle fuel tank bursted into flames, no warning, cause unknown.*ak

Dealership is not complying with the recall letter and are not following the instructions that are stated.*ak *jb

There's a smelly odor in the a/c unit of the car and it gives his wife headaches. *ak

Vehicle was manufactured with copper colored antifreeze, due to this the coolant rusted out the freeze plugs, water pump, and thermostat. *slc

The air conditioner clutch stopped cycling on and off, constantly on, clutch was replaced because the bearings burnt out and the clutch ceased up and then burnt the serpentine belt. the system worked for a week and went out again after the clutch and the ac cycling switch was replaced, the vehicle is in for the third replacement, the mechanic can not figure out why the system is failing. *mjs

Front dashboard detaches. *slc

Engine head gasket failed. also power steering fluid leak.

Car was idling in the driveway when it slipped out of park into neutral and began to roll back.*ak

While driving vehicle stalls. *ak

Steering vibrates after completing turn to the right. ford has issued a tsb but parts for rack and pinion are on back order. please describe details.*ak

While consumer was driving tire rim broke ,causing consumer to loose control of vehicle and hit rail on freeway. car was totaled. *ak *jb

Rusted out freeze plugs a know problem orginating with ford. nlm

Power steering belt squeals and consumer expereinces temporary loss of power steering control when driving in rain.*et

Thumping noise from front suspension and metal to metal noise while making slow turns.*et

Transmission failed while traveling at highway speed. *et

Rear brake makes grinding that dealer can't duplicate.*et

Windshield wiper switch malfunctioning.*et

Wind noise from windshield.*et

Drivers door rattles.*et

Leak in trunk. *et

Vehicle will not start after it has been parked for several days.

The cam shaft sprocket failed, resulting in a extensive damage to the engine. dt

The vehicle continues to overheat; the "hot" needle zooms to "h" without warning and the air conditioner spews out hot air; upon stopping, coolant erupts fromthe reserve tank and spills out in volume onto the pavement and the car becomes undriveable.

Heard tapping sound coming from engine check engine light flashed three times lost all power to vehicle upon inspection from ford dealer they confirmed that the cam sprocket had stripped from the cam shaft as a result the engine is totaled resulting in a 6000.00 dollar less tax and labor repair bill. dt

Brake calipurs continue to stick and rub while driving. check engine light on at all times. radiator/coolant system rusted out. ford recalled this model because of a hose in coolant system was improperly placed. mechanics claim problem with hose has caused major damage to the system.

My daughter-in-law had previously submitted information on this problem. see odi id #766182. she has not been contacted by nhtsa. the ford dealer told her "that's what parking brakes are for." most 1996 taurus models were recalled for this. could you check the vin she supplied to see if it was recalled? if it was not recalled, perhaps it should have been. a "rolling park" is a definite safety issue. dt

The headlights stay on when everything is off, bright light indicator stays on. this is the second time this has happened. the previous time the lights would go off when the emergency brake was applied, emergeny brake unaffective this time. it appears to be the daytime running lights even though the bright light indicator is on.

The head gasket leaked and eventually failed, there was rust in the valves causing me to purchase a new engine. i am trying to find out if the ford taurus is known for such problems and if there was a recall and if the manufacture covers this.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

When ever my car hits over 250 degree's it will stall out , you then have to wait till the engine cools to start it back up , this mainly occur,s when it it very warm out side.i first had this happen when i was traveling down on interstate in the middle of july when the outside temp was about 95 degree's all of a sudden the car just died in the middle of the interstate. this problem had occured several time befor while driving in my home town just doing 30- 45 miles per hour or sitting at a red lite .i have read that ford had the same problem with this moduler on earlier models i went to our ford dealer and they said that they couldnt just fix it i would have to pay for it since my car was a 1996 not a 1995 i feel if ford new that the earlier models had this problem they should be willing to fix it on mine also. *ak

Car rolled backward into garage door while parked with transmission in park position on level ground. *ak

Transmission failed without notice,it has low mileage.possible odometer fraud by dealership.how do find out if odometer mileage was higher before purchase date 07/01.thank you t.mcgary. *ak

Noticed a knock in the engine and was going to have it checked out when going down interstate 75 at 65 miles and hour the car lost acceleration in heavy friday afternoon traffic. i was able to get off the expressway and call for help. i had the car towed to a local ford dealer. they have now had my car for 48 days. i was told that the camshaft on the right side of the engine had malfunctioned and would have to be replaced. i was told the repairs would be between $2,800-$3,300. i authorized the repairs. after finally getting the parts, repairing and putting the engine back together it still did not run properly. they had to pull the engine apart again and now said they would need approximately $2,000 more to repair the valves and head. they replaced the valves and were able to machine the head. they put it back together and returned my car after 35 days and $4,400 in repairs. the next morning on the way to work the check engine light came on and the engine was running very rough. took back to ford after 4 more days i was told the other side of the engine was now malfunctioning and it would cost me approximately $2,000-$3,000 more in repairs. after going to the head of service/parts they agreed to cover the last repairs. i was informed that when the repair was complete that it may happen again. if i would have know all this in the beginning i would not have authorized the repairs.*ak

Wanted to know about any front subframe problems, car makes a clicking noise when braking like something is loose and when hitting dips or potholes front end sounds like it is going to to fall out. replaced front struts 06/27/02 still have same problem. *ak

This failure is a safety hazard. while driving the power steering stops working at random, the electric windows quit working, and the seat belt light comes on! they all appear to be related to this mlp/tr switch. i searched the internet and found 4 other occurrences that were reported. when i call the local ford service garage, the service manager knew exactly what my problem was and sold me the sensor switch. he was aware that the power steering stops working when these symptoms occur. i experienced the power steering failing on a turn and had much trouble controlling the car. i'm worried that my daughter would not have been able to control the car. *ak

My car has been at the ford place in monroeville,al and it is still not fixed as far as the transmission and the power steering. *ak

I would like to know how many complaints have been received concerning the transmission of the ford taurus, 1995-1997 models?*ak

Based on info read from other ford taurus sho owners, camshaft problem is occurring in a high number of these vehicles. the ford dealership that did my cam replacement showed me the defective cam and the sprocket that was attached to it, that moved freely. it was not supposed to be a moveable part. most complaint appear to be for the same type of camshaft engine failure. problem is, i have begun hearing the same clicking noise again. there are 4 camshafts in this engine and only one was replaced for the $2200.00 fee. if another one goes, i will have a vehicle with payments, that will be of little value without the sho engine, it was purchase for. your help please.*ak

Car is always overheated and transmisson sliping and jumping. *ak

Power steering turns off in rain, and ford tells us there is nothing they can do.*ak

Normal camshaft failure accurring in these model cars. *ak

Startet with whirring sound when car reached average speed of 50 mph or higher. searched and checked all fluids. then began to smoke under car. took to garage. transmission needed to be replaced. but mechanic had to replace again because the new one was also cracked in the exact same place. was told by the mechanic that this was a major problem with the tauras. the mechanic had replaced several with the same problem. have researched and find that other owners of the vehicle have had similar problems. if transmission has a defect it should be recalled at the manufacturers expense. ford should be held responsible for this problem.*ak

This is the second time a camshaft sprocket has failed.the first time was under warranty so the engine was replaced at no cost to me.now my warranty is out and the estimated bill is over $3,000.this could be a very dangerous situation because the vehicle loses power all at once.this could cause a serious accident in traffic.i have seen many other complaints on this same problem(at least 20 other incidents).will it take someone being killed before something is done about this problem.*ak

My car broke down 10/21/2000. i lost all power on the freeway driving with my 2 year old son. i took my car to 3 ford dealerships and none of the mechanics could figure out what was wrong. finally i found an independent machine shop who was competent enough to not only diagnose and fix my car properly, but they had to piece my engine (including the axles) together after a ford dealership refused to put my car back together. i had no vehicle for 7 months and had to pay $3171 for the repairs not to mention 4 tow trucks. shortly after having my car fixed i noticed it would idle high when sitting at stop signs or lights. eventually my check engine light appeared and recently discovered it is either the throttle position sensor or throttle body. regarding the cam sprocket failure, i know of at least 69 people who have had the exact same problems with their taurus sho models. ford refuses to help fix its defective product and hopefully no one will have to die from this sudden engine failure before action is taken. thank you. *ak

Camshaft gear separated from camshaft. *ak

Car stalll without warning, dealer cannot find problem, may result in serious accident. other taurus owners have this problem. ford is not interested.

Front and rear seat belts do not retract and become tangled in recoil mechanism such that the seat belts cannot be used. *aky

Motor mount has broken, safety issue?*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Second camshaft failure within one year. repairing dealer was requested to check valve tap in september. original chamshaft repair was done however car continued to experience engine pressure and timing problems. requested service dealer to check valve tap in september 2001. dealer refused to do service, explained that the problem was above their heads. complained numerous times to ford concerning repair and dealer's response. dealer now believes car needs new engine. initial repair was $3000 and took two months. ford has been aware of the failure of the camshaft sprockets for at least 3 years. however, no action has been initiated to repair all problems at one time only to handle each camshaft after failure resulting in large repair bill.

When purchased, this car was serviced, including a cooling system inspection. i also notified ford by telephone that i had purchased the car, providing the vin. i was told that there were no recalls on the car at that time. the cooling system was checked 4 months ago, and was fine at that time. several days ago, the car overheated, spewing coolant when the hood was lifted. i did not, at any time attempt removal of the coolant cap; the coolant was spewing from beneath the closed cap. my mechanic found that the cooling system is completely contaminated with rust and sludge. he also told me that ford had a recall on the situation. when i called ford, they told me that the recall was over, that they would no longer cover this problem, and that the recall was over in 1999. i was never informed of this recall. ford did provide me with a tsb number- 972416. but, told me i would have to bear the cost of the repair. how is it possible that a manufacturer can decide to repair a serious defect for only a limited time, and only if the customer complains during that time? i was stranded in a very bad part of atlanta by this incident, and coolant was spewed all over me. this is a safety concern, in my view, not the 'customer satisfaction' issue ford termed it on the telephone when i spoke with them today. this situation was produced by a design defect that ford clearly has knowledge of as evidenced by the tsb. ford has also produced a retrofit part to correct the situation- f7dz8522aa (coolant recovery kit). why is ford not being required to take care of this situation on all affected vehicles?*ak

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak

Please help me with this defective car. nom safety defect mentioned. *ak

My 96 taurus sho had severe engine failure at 66,682 miles. the engine (camshaft) should not fail on well cared for vehicle with only 66,682 miles on it. there is a design flaw in the sho engine that is casuing hunderds of consumers to pay hunderds of thousands of dollars. why isn't anyone causing ford to address this. there ought to be greater consumer protection against a manufacturer of a defective auto. please assist. thanks!*ak

Please help me with this vehicle. no safety defect listed. *ak (tiresize: p20565r15)

Seal on both headlight lens have failed resulting in cloudy lenses . lens are not removable requireing replacing each unit at a price of $214. per unit. in discussing with service people at ford garage they say this is occuring quite frequently. this is ridiculous having to replace the whole unit to enable cleaning of a headlight lens. this restricts the visibility due to diminished lumens available . this is a serious saftey hazard.

The car began making a ticking sound from the valve train area. this noise became much louder over a period of weeks. i took it to the dealer who diagnosed it as a loose sprocket on the rear bank intake camshaft. as a member of the v8sho organization (www.v8sho.com), i am aware of this problem and it's many occurrences. there are now over 30 reports of this exact problem (with occurrences on any one of the 4 cams), and 14 reported failures in the month of october, 2001 alone! this is a design flaw as the sprocket is merely "pressed" onto the camshaft with no other means of attachment. over time, the connection works loose causing the offending camshaft to spin freely, thus allowing the valves to come in contact with the pistons, causing complete engine failure. fortunately, i was able to catch this on my engine prior to complete failure. myself and numerous others have contacted ford directly with little success on their owning up to the problem. the dealer's fix is usually to replace the camshaft(s) at a cost of $1080 ea., for parts alone! that is a temporary solution as the owner is still left with a design flaw, regardless of the fact that it's a new camshaft. my bill will be in the neighborhood of $2000+ and that's without the sprocket actually coming loose! ford needs to be held accountable for this grossly negligent design flaw!*ak

A ticking noise was heard in engine compartment. took vehicle to ford dealer for diagnosis. while at dealer, cam gear sprocekt had complete failure, causing the valves to imapct head, resulting in complete engine failure. *ak

This car has transmission electrical problems. *ak

On december 16, 2000 we were traveling to phila. via i95 from wilmington for a xmas party. as we approached the restaurant my engined ceased as we turned on to the street near the restaurant. fortunately we were able to drift into a parking space. car was towed to home that evening and then to dealer the following day. dealer did diagnostic test and reported no compression to two valves. never offered to investigate further, but recommended new engine, approximate cost $10,814, dealer was unfamiliar with what could have caused the problem. contacted ford, whose customer service rep did not know of this model taurus. as car was out of warranty, ford offered no assistance and said that car should be traded as 85k was high mileage. transferred car to winner, newark de, where engine was taken apart. mechanic found 4 bent cylinders but could not explain why it happened only that it appeared that sprocket teeth had snapped, releasing chain and causing damage to camshafts. repairs took approximately 4 months due to parts and lack of tech's knowledge of engine. car has been back to service 5 times for additional repairs, i.e. replace imrc, iac motor, gasket seal. car has valve tap and engine oil pressure warning when drive for more than 15 minutes at high speeds. dealer has reported problem is above their head. this car is a street prototype of nascar racing cars, while i drove 50 rt miles on backroads/day it has a top end speed of 131+, adherence to ford maintenance schedules and use of ford certified techs are mandatory to maintain the car. my problem has now surfaced on many shos and is now a documentable defect. this engine could have ceased on i95 while doing 85mph. cost to repair to date, $3200, and is still a danger to drive and ford cannot recommend where and how to fix.

I love my car but it has been nothing but one thing after another going wrong with it and having to work on a vehicle and make payments is agervating and extremely difficult and the ford company will not admit problems or help. *ak

I have found numerous examples of this type of failure on various websites (www.v8sho.com). this seems to be a widesread problem, and ford is doing nothing about it at this time. there has been no recall of these shafts. i am pretty sure they know that this is a growing problem. this type of failure results in catastrophic engine damage. *ak

Camshaft failure. this seems to be happening more and more often on these cars. i have spoke to many that this has happened to. ford is doing nothing for the victims of this problem. what more can we do to get a recall or reimbursment?

The 1996 ford taurus shos are a 3.4l 4 cam v8. on the left bank of the v8, the exhast camshaft broke. the dealer reporting the damage to me said that this camshft is driven as a slave camshft to the intake camshaft which is driven off the timing chain. it is possible that in other cases that the damage could be on the right side cylinder bank. they are identical in design, meaning one camshaft is driven off of a slave chain from the other camshaft, which is in turn driven off the timing chain. it appears that the camshafts in these v8 shos are an achilles heel. there have been many reported failures. please see information in www.v8sho.com or www.v8sho.com/sho/camshaftsprocketfailure.htm, and www.v8sho.com/sho/camsprocketautopsy.htm, and www.v8sho.com/sho/camsprocket2.htm as well as your own database. i called ford's customer relations line at 1-800-392-3673 to report this damage. ford is not willing to cover any part of the damage at this time. i believe that 105,348 miles is very early in a car's life for such a failure. i have looked through the ntsa's records and i see many other complaints regarding this same issue. i believe that ford is aware of the design flaw and these failures. would you please review your records and encourage ford to repair the failures or reimburse owners for repair costs. also, it appears ford dealers are replacing camshafts with replacement units that have the same design flaw in them! therefore, is a customer ever free from the fear that the camshafts could break again to the tume of $2,000 to $12,000 damage as some people have reported? the estimate for my vehicle's repairs is $5,500 or greater (more inspection is being done at this time at crestwood ford) not including sales taxes! i hold ford responsible for this issue not the dealers. personally, if ford provided the parts free of charge and shared some of the labor, i believe many people, including myself, would accept those terms. thank you. *ak

Freeze plug malfunctioned on12/28/99; had recall on05/13/99 #98b2, only 7 month after the recall 41234miles freeze plug replase 51231miles tank you. *ak

Freeze plugs rusted out. *ak

Two weeks ago the right rear metal brake line busted because of it rusting through.the line was replaced and a second metalic line busted because of the same reason. this line is a main line which runs from the master cylinder to the rear of the car . a third line is also ready to rust through that line also runs from the master cylinder to the rear of the car.the car has no other rust just the three brake lines .they are only rusted in a certain area not the whole length , around two to three foot from the rear. when the lines busted there was hardly any brakes just 1 front brake worked this is the second time this has happened the car is a 96 with 109000 miles and no other rust

On 8/3/2001, while in heavy traffic on interstate 95 in maryland, my ford taurus suffered a castrophic transmission failure, which resulted in the car having no power, while the engine revved. i narrowly missed multiple accidents and was able to make my way to the shoulder. this failure wa sudden and extreme and could have resulted in my family's injury or death. i was towed to a transmission shop who had to perform a major rebuild of my transmission, including hard parts. the cost was in excess of $2600.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Transmission is bad. *ak

Camshaft failure on interference engine in '1996 taurus loss of power steering/ power brakes. what could happen in this auto with such a failure at highway speed?*ak

0transmission goes into neutral when coming to a stop. the transmission was 'repaired' by metro auto repair service, 4633a auburn blvd., sacramento, ca 95841, (916) 485-3240. this repair service stated in their work order: "transmission neutrals when coming to a stop. remove for overhaul, found bad forward piston causing seal to bypass pressure. also found forward clutch valve retainer broken, rebuild transmission replacing cluches, seals and gaskets also replace torque converter and refil fluid." the total charges for this service was for "$1098.25" (included "23.36 sales tax"). on august 10, 2001, my wife noted the transmission would slip into neutral gear when coming to a stop; making very unsafe to operate the vehicle. this is the same transmission problem that we had experienced 15 months ago. nhtsa service bulletin number 983112, describes the problem. i advised metro auto repair service of the nhtsa service bulletin; they acknowledged they were aware of it also.*ak

Ticking noise from top of motor diagnosed as camshaft sprocket failure by ford technician on my 1996 ford taurus sho, 3.4l, 207 ci v8. dealership reccommends replacement of the entire motor as parts may take up to 5 months to arrive. i've heard that this is now becomming a common problem on these cars with more reports of them being made known on the internet.*ak

The headlight covers are cloudy and very little light shines through. you can hardly tell that the lights are on at night. *ak

The brake caliper leaked and lost brake fluid. i refilled and never lost braking. had caliper replaced. this was not discovered during routine replacement of rear brake pads.*ak

Transmission began to make a strange sounds (whirling). problem originally thought to be a wheel bearing but ended up needing a transmission costing me $3100. dealer (sloan ford in downingtown) was incompetent. i ended up replacing transmission again in may of the same year. got no satisfaction from ford. engine was replaced at 30000 miles and transmission at 54000miles. i just found out about a recall on 1996 transmissions (i was never informed of this recall) i am very curious if this could be the reason for the transmission's short life. *ak

After coming off a green light, at about 15 mph, transmission fluid began to leak and the rpm's revved with no further acceleration. after having vehicle towed to aamco, i was advised that the front seal had a major leak and failed along with the stador and transmission. i asked hayward ford for recall or technical service issues and was told that there weren't any. i also called the ford coroporate office and was told that there were no issues with the transmission. and i was told that there the ford engineers would be forwarded the message, but wouldn't be giving me a call nor the information i needed.

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Massive tread separation after only 11,000miles of normal road use. continental-general contacted response was "tough luck."*ak (tiresize: p20565rs15)( dot number: tire size: p20565rs15 )

Engine intermitently accelerates on it's own. engine speed of 2500 rpm's at idle and under load observed. *ak

Freeze plugs failed at 65mph; thermostat showed normal; engine light came on only when engine died; required head gasket job...

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Freeze plugs blew out without warning at 65 mph on interstate hwy; temp gauge within normal range and "check engine" light did not come on until engine died. required head gasket job as well as repair of freeze plugs. temporary loss of power steering when turning corners on wet streets. windshield fogs over completely when defrost/defog is turned on before it clears. temporary loss of vision through windshield resulting in extremely hazardous driving conditions...

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak

While attempting to park the driver placed car in reverse, the motor revved then it was place in drive and it took off. traveled for 2.2 miles before catapulting in the air and impacting a utility pole only after crashing through an iron i beam gate. braking would not even slow vehicle down. blew both passenger tires prior to the collision. estimated speed reached 50-70mph according to witnesses and driver. *ak

The automatic transmission suddenly and totally failed. there was no power available for the car to move. this happened in a low traffic area. if it had happend on a highway it could have disastrous.

Broken coil spring poses a safety problem because it could rupture the tire while driving. also, the failure is premature -- only 70000 miles on this car. estimates vary, but this spring should last the life of the car.*ak

Engine and coolant system failed. head gasket blew. koons ford of annapplis, md said i need a replacement engine for $4,500. called ford service rep. he said the problem is not a product defect and ford will not help with repairs. *ak

The rear seat belts have been a problem for some time . now the rear right does not work at all . i was given a price of 250.-270-.,for two new seatbelts. i feel this is a safety issue and need to no if i have any legal rights.

Freeze plugs completely destroyed, rusted. *ak

While sitting in traffic smelled engine coolant. 15 minutes after traffic broke lose, at 60 mph, check engine soon, illuminated. temperature showed normal. then, the engine stalled. i barely got the car over to the side of the interstate in heavy traffic before it quit. engine then overheated. the vehicle was towed to the dealership. i was told by service rep that the engine would have to be replaced. the damage was caused by heat. repairs covered under tsb 97-24-16 have been performed on this car, although not by the dealer. maurice at ford customer service said they would absolutely not do anything to help me out.*ak

The cool system has been recalled and was supposed to have been repaired but it is i do not want turnpike ford to do repairs on my car i know there work and do not trust it that is where the car was purchased still giving us problems the coolant in it turn to a rust the heater will not get hot now the tempernture hand on guage stays down on the c all of the time we have tried to call ford motor company about this and the will not give us a answer on the problem we have been toll that other people have had the same problem and some say that ford has replaced the engine in some of the cars. can you please help me i do not have the finicial means to buy another car. *ak

Manual lever position sensor failed at ~50,000 miles. at ~75,000 miles, lost overdrive and was informed that the transmission needed to be fully rebuilt including valve body, gaskets, seals, plates, etc. ford mechanic in melbourne florida (kelly ford) said they were all badly worn. charged me $2270 for complete rebuild of transmission.*ak

My battery has run down due to the interior light problem. *ak

Left rear seat belt frozen in a mostly retracted position. will not retract or extend.*ak

I was denied the claim by chrysler finacial. because the rust colored coolant that the car was manufactured in came out when the freeze plugs came out and they denied the claim because they said i did not keep reciepts for the anitfreeze in which i purchased for the maintenance., no one keeps those reciepts, i had to pay for the car repair and the rental car bill which was $668.73 and $591.12 i feel that i was denied wrongfully when i have paid on this warranty for 4yrs never used it and when i need it i got denied by both chrylser finacial and bob dunn and ford motor company.*ak

On problem one: i have observed several 1996 through 1999 ford taurus wagons with defective center mounted stop light. problem two: both rear outer seat belts stopped retracting at about the same time. *ak

Seal blowout and failure of transmission, required complete replacement. aamco advised me the unit failed internally. i had a ford dealer replace the unit. unit has been regularly serviced. i have been advised this is common for ford taurus (never had a failure of a transmission in 32 yrs of driving, so this one seems like a hazard to me.)*ak

The cooling system failed while i was waiting in line at the bank, and threw out the freeze plugs, i surfed the internet to see if the car had a recall and found out that it did and that several people has had the same problem and was denied. they deny having a recall on the cooling system , which required a bypass kit to stop the car from running hot. i actually got this information on your web site, i showed the recall paper to the dealer and they still denied it, i had to pay for expensies out of my pocket and for the rental car. the recall was in 1997, i was told that if i did not have the original recall paper there was nothing they could do and denied me the claim. i had to take the car back because it still was not heating and was told that i would have to pay another $600.00 to have a heater coil put in, in which i have never had any problems with heating or cooling before. they flushed the system again and i am still having heating problems and the car still runs hot, and still not heating proberly, even though they put the bypass kit on from the recall that never existed and charged me for it. they left parts aloose and you can hear it rattling. i did more research and found out that the car has 7 prior historys before i purchased the car. no one will acknowledge any of the research i have found, i have several documentation verifying all that i have told you, all i want is to be reimbursed for the repair and the car rental that cost me $591.12 and my car fixed the way it should be before my engine blows like others with the 96 taurus has. can you please help me?*ak

I brought my car to my local mechanic when i noticed antifreeze leaking from the car in my driveway. due to complete corrosion of coolant system, this resulted in the replacement of freeze plugs, water pump, radiator, head gaskets, thermostat and heater core. i will have to bring it back in april for another radiator flushing. i later learned from a radio talk show that there had been a recall on the coolant system for this auto. when i contacted ford, they told me there was an owner notification sent, but i never received it and it expired august 1999. ford or the dealer refuse to do anything so i don't know if the recall has been fixed by my repairs or not and will this happen again. ford has also refused to reimburse me for any of the costs. i would appreciate any assistance

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Rusty coolant returned after flushing, coolant failed, coolant froze, radiator brken, engine overheated, needs head job or new engine. ford balking at recall repair and responsibilty for subsequent damage. *ak

Transmission shifts at high rpm during 2-3 shift. problem continues to worsen. i was told by dealer that he could not duplicate the problem. but that it might be a shift computer problem. problem increases as temperature of engine increases, such as driving for more than 40 minutes in a warm climate. at engine start, noticing the car lurches forward as engine just starts to motor. *ak

Engine check light on the front panel lights up when car is turned on. the "od" or overdrive blinks when the car is driven at/or above 60mph. we took the car to the dealer and we payed 80 dollars for a check-up (ford dealer located on 46-12 northern blvd,, astoria queens, ny). three hours later they told me that the car had a malfunction in the transmission. hence, the transmission had to be changed and the cost was $2,300 dollars. they needed to know immediately! i refused because the cost seemed to high and i wasn't completely sure if this was really the problem. i then took it to a mechanic dealing with transmissions only. they told me that the transmission had nothing to do with the light trouble. they weren't able to solve the problem not even by using the computer. i decided to take it to another agency (friend of mine) who knows about transmissions. he said that he had fixed many tauruses before, but had never encountered such a problem. finally, i decided call ford to find out about this problem. they simply told me to take it to the dealer, which i had already at first. i took it back to another ford dealer located at the opposite end of northern blvd. they told me the same thing as the last ford dealer. after all this confusion, i decided to ignore the problem. it's been about a year and a half and i have been to florida and back already two times from my home (new york). i use the car on a daily basis. i am very upset and confused about all of this. i really want to know what is going on and i think i deserve an explanation the ford company. i sent in this information to you people (nhtsa) to see if you can help me out on this problem. thank you for your attention! -carlos. *ak

Cable appears to be appoximately too long under dash causing sharp bend as it goes through firewall and excessive binding, and eventual failure of cable which causes car to jump out of gear. *ak

I was stopped at a bridge when my car began to overheat. a mud colored anti-freeze began to spill out of my engine. the car never overheated before or never had a problem with the cooling system. at this point i took the car to a local mechanic to look at the car. my mechanic advised me that all 1995 & 1996 taurus's have a recall for the engine cooling system. i then proceeded to take my taurus to a ford dealer (haldeman ford on 11/27). haldeman indicated that the recall expired in sept 1999 and advised me that they could probobly repair my vehicle for a charge of 200-300 dollars. next i received a called from haldeman stating that i could have the engine flushed out which would cost about $1,000.00, and would have no guarantees that this would fix the problem. or i could purchas a new engine from haldeman for about $3,000.00 and would have a 2 year 24,000 mile warrenty on the engine. when i purchased the car in 11/99 the recall was already expired, but ford has no confirmation the the original owner received the recall notice. i find the two options that ford has given me to fix my vehicle are not satisfatory, and that ford should back it's products and find a more feasible way to fix my vehicle (with some sort of warranty) or should incur most of the costs associated with the repair. i have called ford's customer complaint line over the last couple days. i am very unsatisfied with the results so far. i reported the trouble on 11/29. i now have tried to escalate the problem to a supervisor. the center advised me that a supervisor is not avaliable immediately and would take 24-48 hours for me to receive a call back. i have called a total of 3 times and been told the same thing every time. i am out a vehicle and need ford's help to work with me to find a viable solution to my problem. i wish they would just work with me so we could come to a solution. i think ford should have some kind of responsiblity for their products especially since a recall was on the vehicle.

Ddd (dot number: na tiresize: na) (dot number: na tiresize: na)

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak

My service station is advising me not to drive car because of clogged radiator. new thermostat did not help.*ak

We contacted mr. samson (id #3104) and told him that our vehicle was preforming the same promblems as the 3.6l 95 taurus. we also told him we had the car diagnosed about 4 months before the engine block cracked at a ford dealer and they told use that we needed to replace the ignition coil. we replaced the ignition coil but that did not fix the problem. he told us about a radiator flush recall that would have saved our engine but the ford dealer knew nothing of this recall. we asked if ford could do anything even pay half he (mr. samson) said ford would not do anything. we then asled who was above him so we could talk to them he advised us that there was no one above him.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

N o summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Transmission is shifting hard into 1st and 2nd gear.*ak

My car was running hot. the service engine soon light was on. i took my car in to be service. when they diagnoised the car , i was told it was freeze plugs and that the charge was 1,575.00. i told them to fix my car. when i picked up my car it was shaking. i told them that the car was shaking. they told me to drive the car. it took my husband 2 months to get the money in order to get the car. iwas told twice to drive the car. when i finally brought the back in the next day because the service soon light was back on, i was told the i had a blown head gasket, and they wanted another 495.00 from my husband and me to fix my car.

I liked the car when i bought it , but am wondering if i bought a lemon

After the taurus has been driven for more than 30 min, you will lose power stering and the car becomes difficult to control at slow speeds. while taurus is running and the gear selector is in park or neutral p/s works! select reverse or drive you lose p/s, dash board alarms seatbelt and abs brakes, the radio mutes,select park or neutral everything returns to normal.

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Head gasket was never any good. i have spent approxiamately $2500.00 on repair costs and survived two winters without heat in the vehicle. ford company knew about the problem with the vehicle and did nothing.

"door ajar" indicator comes on won't go off, or interior illiminating lights come on when door is opened and never go off, have to remove fuse to save battery, but cannot operate windows

Tire has beginning belt separation. *ak (dot number: acur442175 tiresize: p20565r15)

Dome light/door adjar indicator come on intermittently while driving. at night, dome light disturbs driver. will go on and off as you drive. dealer was not able to fix. is getting worse, now it trips the car alarm as door adjar sets it off when locked with alarm set.*ak

In may of 2000 iwas driving my vehicle on md 695 when engine light came on i then lost power my car shut off and i was forced to pull over my car was stalled out i then had it towed to towson ford in towson md they told me it was my cooling system after telling a few friends of my ordeal one told me of a recall for the cooling system on the 96 taurus i then contacted the ford motor co in mich. where i was treated very rudly over the phone i called several times to speak to a supervisor iwas told several diffrent times that one would contact me it wasnt until i refused to hang up the phone until i spoke to a supervisor that i talked to someone after all the trouble i went through they told me ford was not going to honor my request for financial help with my repairs after having repairs done myself my car continued to have problems it started to leak cooling fluid and overheat i imediatly had it taken back to towson ford they then told me i needed new head cylinders which my extended warranty would not cover after having these things done my car still loses power my engine light stays on and sometimes does not crank over i took it back to towson ford they put it on the anylizing machine they found other problems but could not tell me why engine light stays on why it wont crankover or why im losing power when im driving please help me find a solution i

In 1998 i bought a used 1996 ford taurus station wagon. it had just over 12,000 miles on it and came equipped with general tires, size p205/65r15.*ak (tiresize: p205/65r15)( dot number: tire size: p205/65r15 )

Vehicle was sold subsequent to the incident. scared for the car and tire performance( dot number: tire size: p205/65r-1 )

Headlights are dim - due to opaque plastic cover.

When traveling at high speeds (70 plus mph) in crosswind conditions there is a loud "moaning" and/or "whistling" sound that is present in the area of the drivers side door where the door assembly meets the frame and window assembly. the sound is so loud that i have to turn off the radio because there is too much noise in the interior of the car to talk or hear normally. i have informed the local ford dealer and he told me that he has the same problem with his personal ford vehicle. ford can't seem to fix the problem nor do they seem too concerned about it. they (ford)just sort of put me off and more or less indicate that because they can not seem to correct the pronlem that i"ll just have to live with it. the problem is ongoing and occurs frequently when i take trips where i am doing high speed driving in crosswind conditions.

I have had problems especially with my heads and transmission since i've gotten the car!

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak

The front rotors on this car have been turned twice (8/98 & 6/9/99) and need to be turned or replaced again (9/2000). the rear rotors were turned on 2/28/2000. i feel that having rotors turned once a year is unacceptable and have never had to have brake work done that often on any other vehicle that i have owned. i am concerned that this is indicative of a safety issue regarding the brakes. dealership personnel have been less than helpful regarding my concerns.

Coolant system corroded out freeze plugs. coolant ran out and engine stalled with no warning. engine is having to be replaced, but ford says this was not the cause. reviewing the board here i see more than just me with the same problem. just as with the firestone issue and ford its always the other guys fault, not them. for once i would like see ford take thier share of blame. ford reps will not even respond to complaint.*ak

Abs light comes on intermittently. when abs light is off, brakes work normally. when malfunction occurs, the brakes buzz on application and stopping distance increases dramatically then the abs light will illuminate. i called ford and they will not offer any dealer financial assistance.also the steering gearbox makes a loud groan and vibration when recovering from a right turn. some resistance is felt attemption to turn the wheel back to the left. the vibration is felt in the steering wheel. again ford refuses to assist even though there are multiple similar complaints on both of my complaints in your listings.

The heating and cooling problems we have had with this vehicle have progressed from being inconvenient to a permanent problem. finally, at the beginning of april 2000 i thought that possibly if i had the radiator flushed that it would take care of the heating and a/c problems. the 19th of april 2000 i took it to the dealer for a oil change and to have them check the cooling system. in there notes under "correction" it said "check over cooling system;belts;hoses;coolant;ect... then in the "comment" area it said *ck -30 or better unless advised* it was picked up and i felt compelled to check to see if they had topped off the fluids. (being a widow and a single mother i don't know who to trust any more so i do more checking then maybe others) the coolant resvoir was near empty. i called the dealership about it and they told me to bring it back out. we complied and every thing was fine for approximately a week or so. on the 29th of april we drove it approximately 40 miles roundtrip and on the way home it started to overheat. by the time we got home all the coolant was out of it. i called the dealership and took it back in may 2nd. this was under the section "correction comment": contacted ford regarding concern; advised customer engine would have to be replaced; dealer and co. to assist; cust. portion $700. well i guess they thought i should have been relieved that i did not have to stand the whole cost, but i found out the root of the problem. the service manager at the dealership told me that the car came from the factory with the wrong coolant in it. the coolant was too acidic and had overtime corroded the intake valves,etc.,resulting in the necessity to replace the engine. now mind you ford had installed a by-pass kit and chemical flush cooling system per program 07/29/99. and yet when i talked to a whistle blower wannabe, he told me they were first notified of the problem in july of 1998. two other tauruses at this dealership had the same problem.

Outer headlight lens yellowing,interior filling with moisture

During warm/hot weather the engine will die with no warning. it happens when i take my foot off the gas to brake or slow down. i have tried putting premium fuel and injector cleaner to see if this would help the problem, but it doesn't. the problem is becoming more and more frequent.

The tempature gauge has been rising high the last two months, and the sevice engine soon light comes on for a few days, goes off ror a short time only to come back on.the only other time the gauge went this high and higher is when the water resavior cracked and busted. our car was still under warranty at the time, but ford claimed this part was not covered.ford company also had a recall august 1997 to install a bypass cooling kit. which we did have installed, two months after my water system had been flushed because of googed and corroded coolant. they did not tell us at that time, that because the system was so bad that we would always have problems with this vehical. every year we are having problems with the cooling sysyem that seem to add up more and more in price. and we do keep up with the general maintainance on our vehical

Some questions, i was not sure about such as the drivetrain, etc. in most cases i said i did not notify the manufacturer, but, did notify the dealer. most of the complaints regard manuf. defects & may not be safety-related except for the 1 about the park pawl recall #96s51; in this case, i had done search of recalls on my car make & model thru certain internet web pages & found there were 5-6 recalls on my vehicle. i called ford cust. svc. & gave my vin # to find out which ones applied to my car. i found 2 of them applied to my vin #. i suspect that ford is not notifying me of these recalls. one recall--not safety related, #98b23, i found out about from a svc. mgr. @ a dealership. when i called ford cst. svc. & told them i hadn't been notified, rep said they had sent the letter 2 weeks prior. when i asked for a copy of the recall ltr, i got a big run-around about how fmc could not send me a dupe letter since there was still 1 floating around in the u.s.p.s.(even though the ltr was specific to my vin #). i finally raised enough "cain" to get them to send me the ltr, but, it was 2 late, my car was already effected by the "heating & cooling" recall. the next recall, #96s51, which is safety-related;i was not notified of; ford cst. svc. said this recall svc. had been performed at boomershine ford in duluth, ga on 3/15/97. when i told them this was not possible since i was not notified of the recall, cs said possibly i had taken the car in for another svc. & it was discovered by the service tech that there was an "open recall" & they performed the svc. @ that time. i do not have record of this nor does the dealer. in order for me to find out if the svc was performed, it would be @ my expense. ford cs told me to have the dealer to contact the regional rep for them and have the work authorized, however, neither of them are willing to give me the name of the reg. rep. i contacted both ford cs and the svc. mgr. @ the dealer. each leaves it up to the other to

Car stalls at stop lights or when slowing down to make a turn on hot summer days. transmission slips in fourth gear.

The ford taurus is 1996 and 1997 was used as a guinea pig for an expirimental coolant that rusted out the freeze plugs, water pump, thermostat and more. mine was found to have this coolant. i have already lost one freeze plug and could loose others. ford motor company wants me to pay for half of fixing their error. they now want to pay nothing because i did not meet their deadline. my car could be potentially dangerous, leaving me stranded in the middle of nowhere. please help

Engine head gasket failure

Both turning right and returning from right turn produces a rubbing groaning sound

At 39,500 miles the overdrive in my car's transmission stopped working while i was driving at highway speed with my wife and infant daughter in the car. it was not only dangerous but now it's a major financial burden. ford has been getting away with making these dangerously, sub-par transmissions for about a decade. why has nobody stopped them? would somebody please do something?

Upon driving on freeway to patients home my left front tire split and blew up forcing me to collide with the center wall on the 110 freeway in carson.( dot number: tire size: p205/65r15 )

Vehicle hit in left front by 40 ton dump truck; passenger side airbag deployed; driver side airbag did not deploy.

Continuous problems with the engine overheating over the past 6 months. *ak

I really don't know where to begin but, to say that i need to somehow speak to a ford sales person regarding the car. since i purchased the car from the dealer in 1998 with only 18,000 miles on it, it has been in and out of the auto shop dealer auto shop for many things with this car...i spent quite alot of money to fix the complaints and made numerous complaints but without success. the company that sold me the car is no longer in existent and promises to replace certain parts didnt come through because of the closure of the business.. this car has cost me alot and i can't seem to get any answers to the situation. the company has gone through 4 service dept managers caring for the car and yet, they still didnt fix the problem during the time of warranty and now that there is no warranty they closed business...the biggest and major problem with this car since i have obtained the car was the transmission and torq converter and i want to know if there is any other complaints about this model...please help me...thank you. no safety defect listed. *ak

Faulty emergency brake cables caused rear brakes to overheat and brake system to fail (brake pedal to floor) at 60 mph. brakes returned to normal when wheel cylinders cooled. *ak

On automatic transmission we were driving and engine check light came on and wouldn't go faster than 45, cam sensor, camshaft, died rough idle, egr sensor bad, service engine soon light, dies at stops and slow downs, fuel pump doesnt hold pressure, long crank time no turn over till about a minute service engine soon light came on.

Gas pedal was sticking or binding:throttle cable was found to have a notch or defect on the plastic portion; cable, throttle body and gas pedal were replaced; paid 20% copayment. concerned that there may be other cars with defective throttle cables. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Windshield wipers will only work on high speed sometimes not at all. sometimes left turn signal switch will not stay down or even hold down to use the turn signal. *ak

The incidents have all been the same: the car is usually going under 35mph. the car starts to shake, the service engine light on the dashboard lights up, the car acts as if there is not enough gas getting to the engine and the engine either cuts off or begins to chugg and shake any time the car slows or stops. i'm sure you can understand how frightening this can be since i never know when this situation is going to occur and i'm petrified that it will happen during rush hour on a major road causing accidents and major damage. the first time it happened, i was within feet of a service station and brought it to them. the code on the engine light sensor was, "egr". they did a 60,000 mile service, checked the emission system, and found nothing. after 41 miles, the engine light was on again. i took the car to the same service station. they replaced the dpfe sensor. i've since taken it back to them 3 or 4 times, whenever the car starts to shake and the service engine light turns on. they have done everything that they can think of to fix the problem and are at a loss as to what to do. they even had a class with 50 technicians given by the representative of the diagnostic machine and used my car as the example. they took apart the entire emission system and "roto-rooted" it. i drove less than 10 miles and the car started shaking again. so far, i've spent close to $500. because the garage where i originally took it didn't fix the problem, they haven't been charging me for return visits. i contacted ford's consumer help line on may 2, 2000. damien said that because i'd had so much trouble, he thought that i would get some financial help from ford and he'd let me know in two days. when i didn't hear from him, i called ford again and spoke with carol. she said that i would get no help and that my first step was to take the car to a ford dealer & thay would help me. they don't want to help me. what can i do? *ak

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak

The vehicle had a continuing problem with overheating. i replaced the thermostat, radiator and the cooling system pressure cap to no avail. i then replaced the water pump. when i removed the original water pump i noticed that the impellor blades were badly deteriorated from corrosion. the blades were completely corroded away and unable to move water; this resulted in the engine continuing to overheat. i believe that the blades were unable to stand up to the coolant solution*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

My windshield has developed a haze between the lamenation and glass, as diagnosed by the dealer. the only solution was to replace the window. this condition makes the view severely blurred when oncoming headlights and/or sun is involved. it is much like shining light through a prism. glass on a vehicle should last the lifetime of the vehicle, and not go bad. this creates a serious visual hazard. i would hope that this warrants an investigation to provide consumers like myself some sort of replacement/recall option. further, if a windshield cannot withstand the test of time, i have lost faith in its integrity during an accident. to say the least, ford has produced a "lemon" product, as again...glass should not go bad. *ak

There is a terrible squeaking noise when turning right. the ford mechanic said there is a big problem with taurus's. he said ford changed the design in the model. our three year-warranty expired in november. there was a small problem before but now it is quite noticeable. the mechanic said the repair cost would be $700. why should the consumer pay if there is a design problem made by ford? our car has very low mileage and has been well maintained-- always a 3,000 mile oil change. i have checked on internet under ford taurus complaints and there are many dissatisfied taurus customers because of the faulty rack and pinion. *ak

Transmission began shifting in and out of neutral. followed by hard shifts between 1st & 2nd gear and 2nd & 3rd gear. returned to service center that rebuilt tranny in '99. they replaced shift solenoids and that corrected shifting. shop foreman indicated tranny would still not lockout(torque converter would not lock out). he indicated this could cause overheating and premature failure of transmission. he could not get any trouble codes. was able to disconnect computer and manually lockout torque converter. went to ford online service assistance and received a message stating that some computers for these transmissions had been flashed to not lock out and there should be a notice on the radiator stating so. there is no notice on the radiator. suggested taking to dealer for re-flash of computer. existing condition could potentially lead to additional transmission problems. if this is accurate this defect should be corrected by the manufacturer. this vehicle has had frequent temperature fluctuations also that may be related. the coolant requires twice yearly flush due to build up of rust. *ak

4th gear failed, transmission rebuilt. *aky

The problems with my taurus dates back to a recall concerning the cooling system in 1997. since then, i've continued to experience premature problems with varying parts of the cooling system including a failed thermostat, heater core, gasket, and radiator. i've contacted ford, and they refuse to offer any additional assistance.

Ford was notified and i was told that the problem was mine and not theirs. no safety defect listed in summary. *ak

Transmission failure while driving. *ak

Transmisson trouble: buzzing coming from transmission. vechicle has been in the dealers 7 times for repeated same problem. solenoid in the transmission has been replaced twice. problem still exists. dealers is going back to ford. dealer feels i need a new transmission. how can this be with a car under 21,000 miles??i have also had repeated problem with discolored fluids due to a cooling system problem which a recall was issured and a cooling kit was installed. my main concern is the possibility of damage to motor please advise. i have been working with the dealers service manager on the transmission issue.

The head gasket blew and overheated the car, the engine stopped, i had to tow the car to the dealer and was informed i need a new engine at a cost of $4,800. *ak

1996 ford taurus with blown head gasket at approximately 69,500 miles. *ak

Coolant kept turning brown- repeatedly flushed system. it ran hot on 12-06-1999 and temperature guage did not show it was runnig hot.it blew a head gasket.i had to overhaul motor out of own pocket for $1214.00. i still have receipts. *ak

Rust in coolant, water pump corroded, had to back flush all related hoses, performed at owner expense. problem restarted after 2 months. ford contacted and no related recall notices indicated, although numerous nhtsa customer complaints are available. *ak

Extreme safety hazard (front doors will not open from inside or outside of vehicle. have to be opened from rear)

Estimated costs of 3000 dollars to repair engine and cooling problems 60 days to diagnose problem still does not run correctly no warranties even with a purchased extended warranty dealer has been closed by the attorney general for fraud. no satisfaction from ford motor co. *ak

Heater core only lasts 12-13 months, dealer can not find prob with abs brakes.. *ak

I had an accident on 01/14/00 due to my car cutting off. i was turning when there was water on the street. i made a right hand turn and the right side went through water. my car made some high pitch noise and the lights on the dashboard all lit up and the car shut off. i had no control over my car and ran off of the road in a ditch. i didn't get hurt. my front bumper was damaged. i am very scared driving this car when it rains or when there's water on the street. this is clearly a safety hazzard. i told jerry's ford about the problem. i even contacted the ford dispute board and told them about the numerous times the car had cut off, they told me that when it happens again, take it directly to the dealership. please look into this safety hazzard before someone else has an accident or dies. *ak

I had an accident due to my car cutting off. i was turning when there was water on the street. i made a right hand turn and the right side went through the water. my car made some high pitch noise and the lights on the dashboard all lit up and the car shut off. i had no control over my car and ran off the road in a ditch. i didn't get hurt. my front bumper was damaged. i am very scared driving this car when it rains or water is on the street. this is clearly a safety hazzard. i told jerry's ford about the problem a few months ago. jerry's ford said they couldn't duplicate the problem. i even contacted the ford dispute board and told them about the numerous times the car had cut off, they told me that when it happens again, take it directly to the dealership. please look into this safety hazzard before someone else has an accident or dies. *ak

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak

Transmission began making whirring sound. repair estimated at $1400+ to rebuild transmission. *ak

Dorr handle on drivers side would not open. i had to opren from the passenger side . suddenly, for no apparant reason it worked again. this happened once before and corrected itself. *ak

Freeze plug malfunctioned, after it was fixed a smellof coolent was in car. it then went away, dec 1999 all five freeze plugs malfunctioned at 57000. i was informed advisory went to all owners. did not receive advisory now it is too late to fix. *ak

First incident driving under wet roads every time the vehicle ran a puddle of water the car stalls battery light comes on, very little or no steering can be done . *ak

The vehicle has history of temperature fluctuations. the dealer has flushed the cooling system on several occasions and a recall for the cooling system was performed. while driving on the interstate without warning the car began to run rough and lose power, i immediately pulled to the side of the road. steam then began to billow from under the hood and into the passenger compartment. the vehicle was towed to a ford dealer and i was informed the heads were cracked and the engine was full of water. the fix was to replace the engine. i have contacted ford customer service by phone only to be told the car is out of warrenty and ford has no obligation to to pay for any of the damages. letters written to ford have gone unanswered. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Says in my report that fins were missing on shaft of water pump.

Car was put into drive from park while on a slight downgrade and the car took off into a house. the car was in the garage (not the dealer mentioned in the previous section) a week prior to incident with the same complaint and they said they could not find anything wrong. *ak

Repetative brown cooling system problems. *ak

Driving at 55 mph, noticed when depressing gas pedal would not gain speed. depressed gas pedal further, non-responsive. looked at temp gauge, noticed overheated. pulled over. bled radiator overfill. added water and antifreeze. engine knocked violently when restarted. called for tow. notified engine seized and needed to be replaced. *ak

No summary

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

My compressor for my ac is not working any more. i am trying to find out if this is a common problem with my model of car, and if there is any way to have ford cover for the repair. my car is only a 1996 with reasonable mileage and the ac should not break down already. can you help me? or guide me to someone who could?

I am curious if other ford automatic transmissions have failed at such low mileage.

Transmission failed at 38,000 miles. ford was notified and didn't care because it was beyond their 36,000 mile warranty. the transmission was full of cracks, and had to have started before 36,000 mi. this was the second transmission i put into a ford car and would like to be reimbursed . i tried to get an appointment with a ford service center, but they were too busy. i took it to independent station . they had 4 other taurus' there for transmissions, all fairly new cars

Car make loud squealing noise when makeing sharp turns. this has been going on for a long time. when car was brought in under warranty they couldn't find anything wrong.

I returned this car to the dealership because the windshield wiper control began clicking whenever i tried using them. the repair dept. told me that was normal for the taurus and that nothing was wrong. now, i am limited to only several settings where the wipers will actually function. that has never been a "normal" feature on any of my other vehicles. i feel ford needs to address this failure before i don't have any wiper capabilities and someone is either injured or killed due to this malfunction.

Rotors and pads have been replaced with no change to the shaking. very violent at highway speeds.

Rain on 10/04/99 turned wipers on to 4 to 6 seconds wipe---started to rain harder moved wipers to low setting--starting wiping every 10 to 12 secs---hit a bump in the road wipers started to work like they should--hit another bump--wipers went back to slow speed---then stopped...had to use high speed to get the wipers to work

The transmission did not shift into overdrive, and the check engine light came on. when it was brought into the garage (not the ford dealership), they put it on the computer and it showed a $12.00 prt and it was on the outer part of the transmission. a week later the part had still not come in, it was on back order through ford and it took 10 days to get here, when the garage went to do the work, it showed that it was quite far into the transmission, because i did not buy the extented warrantee, it is not covered. but this car has only 59.000 miles.

Defrost failed and had very poor visibility when windows fogged almost causing wreck

While driving down the highway the transmission suddenly downshift. i immediately pulled to the shoulder of the highway and had to be towed to the repair shop. the transmission was replaced by an independent and not a factory dealer. a new transmission was purchased from laplace ford. from what i gather looking at service bulletines on my car transmission problems seem to be a common complaint. my car was manufactured in may of 1995. it was a program car from the dealer with the remainder of the factory warranty.

Anytime i even go through a puddle i loose power steering and battery light goes out. the car has not stalled yet but the date i put on this report the power steering went as i was turning into an entrance to walmart and i couldnt catch it in time to stop it from hitting the curb. i did significant damage to the ty rod and driver wheel well. ford said that was normal. i was not warned of this when i bought the vehicle and cant find a report about that anywhere. it is definitly life threatenig living in buffalo in the winter what will happen? i am scared to drive my vehicle and i just bought it.

Tread seperation( dot number: acur 442 tire size: 205/65r15 )

The major problem was engine overheating, brown coolant,loss of heater. ford repeated flushed out the heater core,replaced the coollant, flushed out engine, radiator. after about a year of this they finally had to replace the engine with another engine, a rebuilt one of course. they continued to have to flush out the brown coolant. now the heater does not work again. they say that since my warranty is up i must pay for the heater core even though they knew it was going bad and that they had two recalls on brown coolant problems. they say they have not had any problems with engines if they performed the recall. they should have replaced the heater core according to the recall notice 98-b23 and 98b23-s1 but did not. they replaced the steering rack three times to get rid of the noise when turning. then they replaced the spindles which the ends should have been sealed at the factory but were not. they ground down the rotors several times to keep the car from vibrating and replaced them once. they replaced the door lock which wouldn't allow you to open the car on the drivers side and then replaced the hood latch so you could get under the hood. they have replaced the ac knob twice since the plastic inside keeps breaking. this car has been a piece of junk since i got it and continues to have problems especially with the coolent and the heater system.

None, only engine failure

With out warning the engine quit on the highway, the driver compartment filled with steam. i was able to stop the car on the side of the road but absolutely couldn't see. the dealer told me that the head gasket failed causing a failure of the heater core, and subsequently ruining the cylinder head.

Our taurus has had overheating problems since we bought it, ford didn't fix the problem until there was over 66,000 miles on the car.today while driving on the expressway the engine threw a rod or piston.

Called the dealer to schedule repairs, was informed that there was a recall on my vehicle for coolant system problems. was told to just bring it in and they would fix it.brought it to the dealer on 09/21/99 and was then informed they would not do the repair for free because the recall had expired on 08/31/99. called ford and was informed this was not a recall but an owner notification. i received no notification,but experienced mechanical problems directly related to defect in manufacture. is this not a safety issue? shouldn't they have to repair this vehicle at no cost to me? i was not notified of this problem and am the original owner. if this was an owner notification program and not a recall why was i not notified?

I noticed that the vehicle was leaking oil slowly but fairly constantly, i then proceeded to take the vehicle to a mechanic. the mechanic stated that the oil pan gasket was defective and that he suggest that i talk to ford about the problem because he said that this should not happen to a vehicle with this amount of miles on it. i then took the vehicle to another mechanic for a second opinion and he said the same thing. attempts to speak to ford about the problem have only resulted in your warranty has expired and we will not cover this. this seems to be a defective part and i also saw through your website that there was at least one other complaint that seemed to fit this description. thank you in advance for any assistance that you may be able to offer.

Complete transmission failure. replaced entire assembly. commonly reported on this model via internet and personal contacts that owned taurus'. suggest manufacturer be held liable.

My car takes 2-3 attempts to start.as a chronic problem.car diagnosis by dealer.

After parking vehicle, setting parking brake and turning off engine the driver left vehicle. the vehicle rolled out of the parking space backwards, onto a busy street and eventually came to a stop when it rolled into a parked vehicle. *ak

I was told by the dealer that the problem i encountered with my vehicle is a known problem with my model year as the manufacturer has issued a tsb. the problem with the vehicle manifest itself by stalling when deceleration is occurring. the stalling occurs ramdomly with the engine operating at normal to slightly elevated temperature. ability to steer the vehicle becomes very difficult one the vehicle has stalled and this is usually the first indication that a stall has occurred. i believe this stalling represent a serious safety issue with this vehicle, one the manufacturer is aware of.

While stopped in traffic, the car was hit from behind by another vehicle. upon impact, the driver's side front seat-back broke, causing the driver and seat-back to fall backward into the lap and chest of the rear seat passenger, and rendering the driver unable to control the vehicle. state farm insurance was informed of the seat back failure - state farm claim representative stated that seat back failure is a designed safety feature. i do not believe that seat back failure is a safety feature, and i would like your position on this issue.

When we drive thru a small amount of water (puddle) with the right front, the car stalls. i have seen many of these reported in your complaints database & am wondering if any one have solved this problem yet. it just seems like water gets on the serpentine belt & it slips & stalls the car. once it even restarted automatically without shutting the key off & re-starting. this seems very odd to me. how does the engine refire without turning the key? *ak

The car was not running smoothly after intake manifold was replaced by dealer. dealer did not find anything wrong with car upon complaint. this problem could have resulted in serious injury had it occurred at a higher speed.

Every time it rains the power steering goes out and the engine begins to die

Moan or groan when returning steering from full right hand turn. *ak

This problem is that the windshield washer works only periodically. i have not been in contact with the dealer since the car is past the warranty date and i can visualize a major cost item for repair. this car has been nothing but a series of problems and in spite of my contacts with ford customer service division, they have not responded in a satisfactory way.

Have contacted cal worthington numerious time. unable to resolve issue. no safety defect mentioned in summary. *ak

Windshield wipers stop working in any interval position. *ak

It was noted that there is a common problem in relation to the design of the rack and pinion causing a noise on the return of the wheel. i have been informed by the dealership, ford, the entire rack and pinion system should be replaced and they are very familiar with the problem. in a car not even three years old this shows a definate need for a recal or at least some manufacturer support. thank you

Reverse does not work leasing car have only had it for and half this should not be a problem already the car is only 3 yrs old..

Transmission is down shifting on it's own and rpm's go up, engine sounds as if you are puttng it in neutral, but car does not always slow down. overdrive does not seem to be working. change transmission filter last year, checked fluid levels they are full. *ak

The power steering unit has not actually failed. what happens is that after making a right hand turn a large groaning noise is made when truning the steering wheel back to the straight ahead position. ford has issued numerous servic bulletins on this problem starting back in 1996 and want to charge a substantial amount of money to correct the problem. i feel that since this deals with the steering unit there is a safety issue involved and they should correct this problem on all their vehicles at no cost to the owneres.

Car only stalls in the spring time when the temperature changes from cold weather. *ak

No summary listed for this vehicle. *ak

No summary

Throttle cable failure could have caused seriuos accident if it had occured on the interstate or in an interchange. the dealer said this has never happened before.

Engine coolant temperature fluctuates. gurgleing sound under hood during fluctuations. odor heat smell enters car during fluctuations. dealer claims fluctuations are normal, but, did install a bypass kit on the cooling system after numerous returns to the dealrship. ford consumer line representatives claimsthere are no problems reported on the make and model, and there are no recalls on the make and model. *ak

Vehicle involved in a crash at 50 mph with 2 vehicles. first vehicle hit in rear almost head on with major damage to driver's side front/middle, proceeded to hit second vehicle in same place. neither air bag deployed on either impact. my vehicle came to a complete hault after hitting second vehicle.

No summary listed for this vehicle. *ak

My problem is not been determined a safety defect as yet but could possibly be one eventually. the steering makes a grinding noise when turning right. i have reviewed your database on consumer complaints and have found other instances of a similar problem. i have also had problems with the door handles and have also to this date have had the entire front suspension replaced. i realize this is a forum for reporting safety defects but i have exhausted all other means

Idle air control or auxiliaryair control is used to control rpms or to adjust for a varity of load introduced for air conditions ,electrical charging and numerous other auto goodies.the idle speed control failed and kept the engine running when ny wife went to stop the car kept pushing and making it difficult to stop. i reached from the passenger side of the car and put the car in neutral .this action permitted her to stop the car ,but with high rpms on the tachometer. god only knowns if i had not been there she may have been in a serious accident.

Car was taken in for recall on cooling system on november 11, 1998. failure in cooling system on december 27, 1998. head gasket was blown vin number is [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Experienced grinding noise when turning steering wheel to right. diagnosed as a short rack and power steering return problem. service tech stated that this problem "doesn't occur under normal driving conditions," and couldn't provide a reason for problem. i believe it is a defect from the manufacturer, and i should be refunded my costs for the repair. there should be some sort of recall action because the problem, from what i am reading from others, is too systemic to be a coincidence. *ak

Doors won't open. have to get in rear and open from inside. *ak

Transmission failed for no particular reason. ford will not stand behind the product.

After transmission failure (5) weeks after the purchase of the car jackson ford immediately claimed ford had no liabilty regarding this issue. after searching the internet we discovered there is a major problem concerning this particular transmission and are starting to investigate our options. please respond if you have any further information.

Ford is not providing any information on coolant rust denying rust at all. have replaced resevoir for antifreeze due to a previous recall... heater coil has gone out due to corrosion that ford is denying even exsists.

Transmission, radiator, and water pump all replaced in first 66k. this car has been very expensive to maintain. i am forced to purchase my next car from japan or europe. so much for supporting the american economy.

Automatic transmission: transmission went out at 50,600 miles due to a faulty forward piston in the transmission. dealer replaced transmission with rebuilt transmission at vehicle owner's expense. transmission had not been driven hard or had not pulled an excess load. would like investigation to see if more vehicles are experiencing the same problem and to see if a recall is necessary. suspension: popping sound in front suspension when turning. rough riding. dealer said needs subframe bushings and struts (47331 miles).

No summary provided by consumer

No steering and my insurance company will not subregate ford unless there has been prior crashes. the company i have it at now doesn't know what to look for. i had no steering. please call me for more details.

No summary provided by consumer

Consumer didn't entry summary.

None

This is the second 1996 ford taurus that i have owned. i traded the first one for my current vehicle when it was about to get its third transmission installed. i have had the transmission replaced in my present taurus at 26800 miles(approx.) and have developed a transmission fluid leak in this transmission. i am approaching my wits end with this situation and would like to know what can be done. i am receiving no help from my dealer. thanks.

Two to three gallons of water accumulated in the engine block apparently due to a cooling system failure involving the collapse of the head gasket. the engine was destroyed and had to be replaced. ford motor company blew off my complaint, and the repair dealership (friendly ford/north miami beach) said that it must have been raining. unfortunately, the vehicle does not come equipped with a spare engine for rainy days. i spoke with the dealership that sold me the car (deel ford/coral gables) which at first said that there had been a recall of certain 1996 ford taurus for precisely this problem, but when they checked my vin, they claimed it fell outside the scope of that recall, and they refused to furnish an explaination. subsequently, i discovered that the cooling system failure had also significantly degraded the transmission. the repair bills have been enormous. we find it inconceivable that the engine/cooling system was not defective since there is no other explaination in our view for the accumulation of two to three gallons of water in the engine block. since this is a mass produced vehicle, if this happened to us it has probably happen to others.

Front door handles on both left and right doors do not work in high humidity environment (on rainy days). unable to open either front door.

Transmission failed.

Windshield seal failed, causing wind noise.

Steering column failure.

Transmission failed.

Transmission leaks fluid.

Third stop light cracked.

Electrical system was not tightened causing system to short out.

Parking brake failed, causing accident.

Door would not open due to latch problem. yh

Door latch failed.

Door handle failed.

Rear seat belt defective.

Front end misaligned.

Battery failed.

Exhaust manifold failed.

Door locks inoperative.

Air leak from windshield.

Gear selector indicator inoperative.

Power door lock inoperative.

Transmission failed.